Twilight 2000 - Best Weapons That Never Were

BEST WEAPONS THAT NEVER WERE
A group of weapons that range from entirely fictional (from books, games, etc.) to one-off experiments by
gunsmiths to rare weapons of which few were ever built.
Best Assault Rifles That Never Were
Best Automatic Rifles That Never Were
Best Battle Rifles That Never Were
Best Grenade Launchers That Never Were
Best Handguns That Never Were
Best Machineguns That Never Were
Best Shotguns That Never Were
Best Sniper Rifles That Never Were
Best Sporting Rifles That Never Were
Best Submachineguns That Never Were

AAI ACR
Country of Origin: US
Appears in: US ACR competition of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Notes: The AAI ACR (also called the AAI Low-Impulse ACR, as part of the design includes an internal anti-recoil device) was
based on AAI’s previous work during the SPIW program of the 1970s. The AAI ACR design presented for evaluation outwardly looked
almost completely conventional, but was quite unconventional in many ways.
Like all the other ACR candidates of the time, the AAI
ACR was rejected by the US Army and became a museum piece.
The 18.5-inch barrel was tipped by a compact pepperpot-type muzzle brake; the bore used a very lazy twist rate (1:85), since the
ammunition was essentially self-stabilizing. Most of the was of steel or light alloy, but the stock, fore-end, and pistol grip were of
polymer/plastic construction using materials that were advanced for the time.
(Early versions of the AAI ACR did not have a pistol
grip, but instead a pistol grip wrist.) The fire selector used a 3-round burst mechanism that fired at a cyclic rate of 1800 rpm – so fast
that the third round would be well downrange before the shooter would feel the recoil from the first round.
The firing mechanism also
fired from a closed bolt for semiautomatic fire and from an open bolt on burst; this optimized the AAI ACR for both aiming in
semiautomatic fire and cooling in rapid burst fire.
Strangely, though AAI’s round for its ACR had naturally low recoil, AAI decided use
primarily mechanical means in the firing mechanism to limit dispersion of the rounds. Atop the receiver was a mount able to use most
US and NATO optics and night vision equipment; in addition, AAI used an early version of Trijicon’s ACOG-type sights that are now so
common on assault rifles and submachineguns today.
This ACOG, though roughly twice as large as modern ACOGs, set the stage
for future developments. The ACOG had 4x magnification and limited night vision, and even worked well at night.
Standard
adjustable iron sights were also developed, with the rear sight assembly being removable and fitting onto the receiver’s sight base,
and a low sighting rib was also found above the barrel for quick shooting.
The ammunition that AAI used was based on flechette rounds developed well before the SPIW program. The muzzle velocity of
the flechettes was very high (over 1400 meters per second), and the flechette had excellent penetration. The flechette (like most
flechettes) twisted into a fishhook-shape upon striking a person, causing wounds out of proportion to the size of the flechette – so
much so that it was briefly thought that AAI’s round might be a violation of the Geneva Accords. However, the AAI flechette was not
without its problems; the long, finned, needle-like shape (about 1.6x41mm) together with its very light weight (about 0.56 grams) made
it extremely susceptible to wind. The round, nestled in its casing and liquid-crystal boot, was almost identical in size to the 5.56mm
NATO round, and the magazines themselves were based on M-16-type magazines. The AAI ACR could not fire 5.56mm NATO
rounds, though – doing so would cause a chamber explosion, usually accompanied with the bolt assembly blowing backwards out of
the weapon at high speed, possibly injuring or even killing its shooter.
The M-16-based magazines were quickly modified before such
an accident could happen so that one could not load 5.56mm NATO rounds into AAI ACR magazines and standard M-16-type
magazines would not fit into the AAI ACR.
(A 62-round drum was also developed for the AAI ACR, as the company planned to
develop a whole family of small arms based on its ACR if the military decided to adopt it – including a SAW.) The problems with the
ammunition were one of the main strikes against the AAI ACR; in addition, the cost per round was very high.
Weapon Ammunition Weight Magazines Price
AAI ACR 5.56mm AAI Flechette 3.53 kg 30, 62 Drum $920

Weapon ROF Damage Pen Bulk SS Burst Range
AAI Low-Impulse ACR 3 2 1-1-Nil 7 2 3 49

Baryshev/LCZ B-10
Country of Origin: Czech Republic
Appears In: Czech competition for both international markets and to replace the Vz-58.
Notes: The genesis of this weapon is a design by Russian Anatoly Baryshev in the early 1960s. However, it remained a private
venture until Baryshev was able to work with LCZ in the mid-1990s. This weapon appears at first to be a reworked AK, but in fact
employs a form of delayed blowback action similar to that of the Hungarian M-39 and M-43 submachineguns, instead of the gas
operating system of the AK series.
It is part of a series of weapons, including the B-20 battle rifle, the B-30 sniper rifle, and the B-40
grenade launcher.
Versions of the B-10 were also designed in 5.56mm NATO caliber and 7.62mm NATO caliber (produced in very
small numbers, and producing virtually no sales), 7.62mm Nagant (again, with little sales)
and 9mm Parabellum caliber (mostly as a
technology demonstrator, with almost no sales). Whether the 7.62mm Kalashnikov version is very much an open question at this
time, but prospects do not look good; though the new operating system produces less felt recoil, it also proved vulnerable to harsh
elements and difficult to field-strip.
Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon was in very limited issue during the Twilight War, and for most of the war, its existence was
regarded as only a rumor.
Barrel lengths for 7.62mm Kalashnikov, 5.56mm NATO, and 9mm Parabellum are 16.34 inches; for
7.62mm NATO and 7.62mm Nagant, the barrel is a bit longer at 17.9 inches. These barrels are tipped by a compact muzzle
brake/flash suppressor.
Merc 2000 Notes: Though not a big seller in the Czech or the Slovakian military, the B-10 was quite popular among several
Southeast Asian and African nations who felt the need to replace their tired old AK-series weapons.
(The modular nature of the
weapon also helped in this regard.)
B-10 7.62mm Kalashnikov 3.6 kg 30, 40, 75 $948
B-10 5.56mm NATO 3.6 kg 20, 30, 40 $708
B-10 7.62mm NATO 3.9 kg 5, 10, 20 $1148
B-10 7.62mm Nagant 3.9 kg 5, 10, 20 $1198
B-10 9mm Parabellum 3.6 kg 20, 30, 40 $408

B-10 (7.62mm Kalashnikov) 5 4 2-Nil 5/6 2 6 46
B-10 (5.56mm NATO) 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 4 41
B-10 (7.62mm NATO) 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/6 2 6 53
B-10 (7.62mm Nagant) 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/6 2 6 53
B-10 (9mm Parabellum) 5 2 2-Nil 5/6 1 2 36

Boeing/HK-USA XM-8
Country of Origin: Germany/US
Appears In: Abortive competition to replace the M-16 series in the early 2000s.
Notes: This weapon was designed to address the numerous flaws of the M-16/M-4 series, and to provide a sister weapon to the
OICW.
The XM-8 is derived from the rifle portion of the OICW (which is itself derived from the G-36), but does not have the grenade
launcher or computerized sight attached. It is a modular construction weapon allowing the weapon to be modified for a variety of
different uses and with a large amount of accessories and optics.
The furniture is almost entirely made of high-strength polymer, and
does not get hot to the touch like a metal rifle.
It can also be molded with a variety of camouflage finishes.
The XM-8 boasts an
operation that does not foul as easily as the M-4/M-16, and can be stripped and cleaned much faster.
Ambidextrous controls allow the
weapon to be easily used by left or right handed shooters. The 3-round burst setting has been dispensed with (to be replaced with
better training in fire control), and the weapon is issued with a day/night 3.6x optical sight integrated with a laser aiming module.
There are mounts on all sides of the handguard and on top for virtually any sort of optic or accessory. The XM-8 was a Heckler &
Koch invention, but in 2004, the rights to manufacture the XM-8 were acquired by Boeing in the US.
Five models of the XM-8 assault rifle are contemplated at present: the standard XM-8 Carbine, the XM-8 Compact carbine, two
other XM-8s with 10-inch and 14.5-inch barrels, and a Designated Marksman (DMAR) version with a 20-inch barrel, bipod, and a
higher-powered scope. The Compact Carbine can be used with or without a buttstock; both have a telescoping stock (which in the
case of the Compact Carbine can be removed completely, reducing the weight to 2.23 kg). The two intermediate-length XM-8’s are
being experimented with, but probably will not make the cut, though they may be built and issued in small number for special
applications. The DMAR is not exactly a sniper rifle, but more a tactical sharpshooting weapon; while the standard “scope” of the XM-
8 has no magnification, and is used only to increase efficiency of aiming, the DMAR has an actual 3.5x scope.
The magazines are
semitransparent polymer 30-round magazines.
It is anticipated that the XM-8 will begin field tests in 2005.
Twilight 2000/Merc 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in these timelines.
XM-8 Carbine (12.5” Barrel) 5.56mm NATO 2.92 kg 30 $698
XM-8 Compact Carbine (9” Barrel) 5.56mm NATO 2.73 kg 30 $662
XM-8 (10” Barrel) 5.56mm NATO 2.77 kg 30 $672
XM-8 (14.5” Barrel) 5.56mm NATO 2.91 kg 30 $719
XM-8 DMAR (20”) 5.56mm NATO 4.13 kg 30 $1293

XM-8 Carbine 5 3 1-Nil 4/5 3 6 27
XM-8 Compact Carbine 5 2 1-Nil 3/4 3 6 16
XM-8 Compact Carbine (No Stock) 5 2 1-Nil 3 3 7 11
XM-8 (10”) 5 2 1-Nil 3/4 3 6 19
XM-8 (14.5”) 5 3 1-Nil 4/5 3 6 34
XM-8 DMAR (20”) 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 6 55
XM-8 DMAR (Bipod) 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 1 3 72

BSA Model 28-P
Country of Origin: Britain
Appears in: Competition to replace the standard British service rifle after World War 2.
Notes: This rifle was developed to compete with the EM-2 and other weapons during the British Army weapon trials of 1949-50.
As
such, it fires what was supposed to be the new standard British military cartridge – the .280 British.
The Model 28-P had a squared
receiver incorporating an optical sight, but a rather conventional pistol-gripped half-stock similar to that of the US M-1 Carbine. The
trigger mechanism was made deliberately heavier than required to slow the rate of fire.
The flash suppressor could double as a
grenade launcher (though it is not capable of launching modern-pattern rifle grenades).
Unfortunately, testing showed that it was not a
particularly accurate weapon (by the standards of the time); the Model 28-P also suffered breech explosion during testing. Though the
breech design was revised and proved reliable, the Model 28-P was cut from the testing program. No more than 15 of these rifles
were ever built.
Model 28-P .280 British 4.01 kg 20 $951

Model 28-P 5 3 2-Nil 7 4 9 62

Colt ACR
Notes: Colt’s ACR was a result of the US military’s Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) program.
The Colt entry was based on the M-
16A2; one can see the family resemblance, but the Colt ACR is still a greatly-modified version.
Like the rest of the ACR candidates,
the Colt ACR was rejected and they were placed in museums (I saw one on display at the Infantry Museum at Ft Benning) or taken
back to Colt for further study.
The Colt ACR used an adjustable stock similar to the XM-177/M-4 carbine series, but with seven positions. The standard M-16A2
handguards were replaced with handguards with heavy heat shielding as well as a long sighting rib, used for short-range reflex
shooting in the same manner as the rib on a shotgun.
The 20.5-inch heavy barrel was tipped with new muzzle brake designed to be
effective, compact and low-profile, yet allow for the use of rifle grenades and underbarrel grenade launchers. Fire controls were
ambidextrous. The receiver was topped with a very early version of what became the MIL-STD-1913 rail; on this rail, an integral Leitz
Wildcat 3.5x sight was meant to be mounted for troops who needed it, or it could be replaced with other US/NATO optics or a simple
carrying handle with iron sights.
The ACR was specially designed to fire a new 5.56mm duplex round, which features two smaller-than-normal bullets point-to-tail.
This increases hit probability (and effectively doubles rate of fire), but also significantly reduces effective range, as the two rounds are
each much lighter and less stable. Standard 5.56mm NATO ammunition could still be fired from the Colt ACR.
Twilight 2000 Notes: As this project was shelved several years before the Twilight War, it was largely a non-participant in the
Twilight 2000 timeline.
The Infantry Museum at Fort Benning had one that was taken along with most of the weapons, and it was put
to use by US Army troops; in addition, at least 4 others were known to have been used during the war (all in the US).
Duplex
ammunition was extremely limited in quantity and the Colt ACRs were almost always used with standard 5.56mm NATO ammunition.
Colt ACR 5.56mm Duplex or 5.56mm NATO 3.31 kg 20, 30 $890

Colt ACR (5.56mm Duplex) 5 2 1-Nil 5/6 2 5 41
Colt ACR (5.56mm NATO) 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 5 59
*The duplex round consists of two smaller bullets within one cartridge case instead of one standard-sized one. Upon achieving a hit
upon a target, the firer will hit the target with at least one bullet.
The second bullet will automatically hit at short range, hit 75% of the
time at medium range, 50% of the time at long range, and 25% of the time at extreme or longer range. The damage listed is per
individual bullet.

Colt M-16A1 (Experimental)
Appears in: A company experiment on the M-16A1 in the mid-1970s.
Notes: This oddball variant of the M-16A1 was modified from a standard M-16A1 in 1974 to fire an experimental cartridge
(essentially a standard 5.56mm NATO round necked down to 4.32mm). The idea was to further lighten the M-16A1 as well as the
ammunition.
This experimental M-16A1 was never given an official designation.
The M-16A1 was simply rebarreled to fire the
4.32mm ammunition, and the bolt and chamber were also modified for the same purpose (in the case of the bolt, most of the
modifications were in the bolt face; the bolt and bolt carrier assembly were otherwise almost a standard M-16A1 bolt carrier
assembly).
This experimental M-16A1 also had some other unusual features – the carrying handle was removed and replaced with a
reflex collimator sight, barrel was tipped with a muzzle brake, and it used a 3-round burst setting in addition to a full-auto setting. (The
3-round burst setting was the only feature kept, and reappeared on the M-16A2 in a simplified form; however, a similar sight was used
on the Colt ACR.)
30 of these rifles were so modified, and extensive field trials were done with them.
Despite the fact that the objective of lighter
weight was achieved, and the collimator sight made the modified M-16A1 quite accurate, the bullet was simply too light in weight, and
was highly subject to long-range dispersion from wind due to that light weight; it also did not have the damaging potential of even the
lightweight 5.56mm NATO round The cartridge and the rifle were therefore dropped from testing.
M-16A1 (Experimental) 4.32mm Rodman 3.36 kg 30 $749

M-16A1 (Experimental) 3/5 2 1-Nil 6 1 2/3 42

Colt M-16EZ
Country of Origin: United States
Appears in: Twilight 2000 First Edition Small Arms Guide, though I have embellished the story a little.
Fictional (Twilight 2000-Only) Notes: The M-16EZ is a crude copy of the M-16A1 issued to US militia units starting in 1999. They
were built by both Milgov and Civgov so that their militia forces could have something that is better (and gives them more credibility)
than deer rifles and shotguns. They are made from reconditioned parts that were originally tagged by the US military as too worn out
for military use, and what newer parts were still available. They vary in quality and appearance, often having wooden stocks and
handguards, telescopic sights, and other modifications limited only by imagination. Unfortunately, due to the generally poor condition
of the parts involved, they also vary widely in reliability and performance. The figures given below are for an average M-16EZ.
(The M-16EZ could also be used in other Twilight 2000 campaign areas, or even in some Merc 2000 or Dark Conspiracy games,
representing the sort of weapon that sometimes appears in various parts of the world -- a crude copy of an existing weapon built in
local machine shops, or even someone's garage.)
M-16EZ 5.56mm NATO 3.6 kg 10, 20, 30 $575

M-16EZ 5 3 1-Nil 6 2 6 45

Colt M-4 Mods
Appears in: Late-2000s tests of “new” technology for the M-4 Carbine (ie, they were meant to be technology demonstrators and not
issue weapons).
Notes: Inundated by a number of gas-piston M-4/M-16-type designs that are vying for military attention (particularly the US
military), Colt has recently (as of the time I write this, December 2009) been experimenting with several gas piston and hybrid designs
to keep up with the Jonses. Gas piston designs are, by and large, more reliable and less subject to fouling than the Stoner direct gas
impingement system, and allow for reliable functioning with shorter barrel lengths.
The Colt APC (Advanced Piston Carbine) in an M-4 that uses a gas piston operation, but that’s not all there is to it. The APC also
has a monolithic upper receiver with a MIL-STD-1913 rail and the upper receiver being one piece. The front sight post remained and
a flip-up rear sight may be attached to the rear end of the MIL-STD-1913 rail. The barrel, while still 14.5 inches, is free-floating to
increase accuracy. The combination of a floating barrel and a gas piston system required that the APC have a specially-designed
piston system, as standard piston systems would warp or break under the stresses imposed by a floating barrel. The barrel used is
also a heavier than standard barrel. The APC comes in two variants: one with an integral suppressor (with the standard flash
suppressor extending from the end of the suppressor, and a standard one with no suppressor. The suppressor can use standard
5.56mm NATO ammunition; though the suppressor is designed for long life, the use of standard ammunition cuts life considerably, so
subsonic ammunition is recommended.
The AHC (Alternative Hybrid Carbine) is sort of a middle-of-the-road solution, designed to be retrofitted to existing M-4s. The new
operating system is basically a gas piston operated by direct gas impingement, allowing for retrofitting while cutting down on some of
the fouling and increasing reliability. The gas tube essentially has a piston system halfway down the gas tube.
Most combustion
gasses and their deposits are released under the handguard rather than being directed back towards the chamber and into the barrel.
Other than the different operation, the AHC is identical to the APC for game purposes, including having a suppressed and non-
suppressed option.
The SCW (Subcompact Weapon) is essentially a short, PDW variant of the M-4, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. The
basic M-4 body upper and lower receiver is there, and the operation is the same as the M-4 as well. However, the handguards have
four MIL-STD-1913 rails, and the upper receiver also has a monolithic MIL-STD-1913 rail. The stock is designed to fold even shorter
than that of the M-4; it not only slides back and forth, it folds to the right just behind the buffer tube.
The barrel is a mere 10.3 inches,
and tipped with a compact muzzle brake.
(An 11.5-inch barrel has also been tested.) The SCW is designed to be used with a foregrip;
the one Colt uses is a Lasermax foregrip that incorporates a laser sight. The charging handle is also relocated; instead of being at the
rear of the receiver, the SCW uses an ambidextrous handle that extends from the forward quarter of the handguard and uses a short
charging stroke. The SCW-P is identical, but uses gas piston operation. In addition to being useful as a PDW, the SCW is also a good
CQB weapon and for use from firing ports.
Going the opposite direction, we have the ERC (Extended-Range Carbine).
This is designed for use by designated marksmen,
and are not meant to be dedicated sniper rifles.
There are two versions, the ERC-16 and ERC-20, with a 16 and 20-inch floating
match-quality barrel, respectively.
These retain the sliding stock of the M-4, but have a monolithic MIL-STD-1913 rail and four more
rails on the handguards.
They are designed with bipods in mind, though they could still mount underbarrel grenade launchers
instead.
Iron sights are flip-up; primary sights are meant to be anything from simple Trijicon ACOG sights to low-power telescopic
sights.
The muscle memory of the M-4 is retained, but the ERC is a much more accurate weapon. (The price below includes an
ACOG and a light bipod.)
APC 5.56mm NATO 2.81 kg 20, 30 $579
APC (Suppressed) 5.56mm NATO Subsonic 4.11 kg 20, 30 $884
AHC 5.56mm NATO 2.81 kg 20, 30 $575
AHC (Suppressed) 5.56mm NATO Subsonic 4.11 kg 20, 30 $880
SCW/SCW-P (10.3” Barrel) 5.56mm NATO 2.83 kg 20, 30 $982
SCW/SCW-P (11.5” Barrel) 5.56mm NATO 2.89 kg 20, 30 $994
ERC-16 5.56mm NATO 3.58 kg 20, 30 $1155
ERC-20 5.56mm NATO 3.71 kg 20, 30 $1285

APC 5 3 1-Nil 4/5 3 7 35
APC (Suppressed) 5 2 1-Nil 6/7 1 3 25
AHC 5 3 1-Nil 4/5 3 6 34
AHC (Suppressed) 5 3 1-Nil 6/7 1 2 24
SCW/SCW-P (10.3”) 5 2 1-Nil 3/4* 2 5 20
SCW/SCW-P (11.5”) 5 2 1-Nil 3/5* 2 5 24
ERC-16 5 3 1-Nil 4/6 2 6 42
With Bipod 5 3 1-Nil 4/6 1 3 55
ERC-20 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 6 59
With Bipod 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 1 3 77
*The Bulk rating is 3 if the stock is side-folded.

Foote R-68
Appears in: Pamphlets and several firearms magazines in the 1970s
Notes: Firearms designer JP Foote, towards the end of the Vietnam War, looked at the major trends in US military firearms – the
perceived failure and unpopularity of the M-16, the high (RL) cost of the AR-15 to civilians, the unreliability of Stoner’s direct gas
impingement system, and the fact than perhaps billions of 5.56mm NATO rounds were available everywhere and a weapon that fired
a new round would go nowhere fast. Foote designed the operation of the R-68 around a gas tappet system, which, while it did
increase the weight of the R-68, also dramatically increased reliability. It also means that by adjustment of the gas block, a wide range
of ammunition types could be used. Cost was further kept low with simple steel stampings for much of R-68’s parts, and “off-the-rack”
tubings and parts were used when possible.
A rotating bolt along with an interrupted buttress thread makes this whole assembly
stronger, lighter, and more reliable.
The charging handle is above the barrel, but kept low enough to not interfere with the operation of
the sights. The safety is a simple which is inside the bottom of the trigger guard. The only tool required to disassemble most parts of
the R-68 is a bullet. Any magazine which would fit into an AR-15/M-16 will fit into an R-68.
The first set of figures below are the stats of the actual prototype produced.
The second are what Foote felt he could achieve with
more development, using higher-quality steel, more polymers, etc.
I have put in automatic fire stats as Foot’s intended customer was
the US military.
R-68 (Prototype) 5.56mm NATO 4.63 kg 5, 10, 20, 30 $593
R-68 (Developed) 5.56mm NATO 4.22 kg 5, 10, 20, 30 $606

R-68 (Both) 5 3 1-Nil 6 2 5 55

Weyland-Yutland M-41A Pulse Rifle
Appears in:
Aliens 2
Notes: This is the signature weapon of the Colonial Marines in the sequel to
Aliens, Aliens 2.
It is a short barreled assault rifle that
fires 10mm caseless explosive-tipped armor-piercing ammunition.
The rounds are caseless chemically-propelled rounds; however,
the primer is electrically-ignited. It uses a rotating breech mechanism and the barrel is free-floating, granting a bit more accuracy. The
M-41A is constructed largely of what would be considered in our time exotic composites, such as carbon nanotubes. The weapon has
a gyroscopic recoil compensator to help control recoil, as well as a conventional muzzle brake. On the side of the magazine well is a
digital ammunition counter; this device counts the ammunition as it is being fired or reloaded in clear, easy-to read red LED numbers.
Of course, the assault rifle portion is only half the weapon.
The M-41A includes a 30mm grenade launcher under the barrel for
heavier work. This is a pump-action weapon which, though not designed for sustained fire use (its magazine holds only four rounds),
it useful for quick explosive work.
M-41A Pulse Rifle 10x24mm Caseless 4.9 kg 99 $9710

M-41A (Ball Ammo) 4/10 4 2-3-Nil 4/5 1 2/6 55
M-41A (AP) 4/10 4 1-2-3 4/5 1 2/6 66
M-41A (HE) 4/10 C0
B4 Nil 4/5 1 2/6 40
M-41A (HEAP) 4/10 (5) C0
B4 1-2-3 (5C) 4/5 1 2/6 53

Weapon Ammunition Weight Magazine Price
PN Grenade Launcher 30x45mm Medium Velocity Integral to Rifle 4 Tubular Integral to Rifle

Weapon ROF Round SS Burst Range IFR
PN Grenade Launcher PA APERS 2 Nil 15 Nil
PA CHEM 2 Nil 120 730
PA Flash-Bang 2 Nil 120 730
PA Flechette 2 Nil 20 Nil
PA HE 2 Nil 120 730
PA HEAT 2 Nil 120 730
PA HEDP 2 Nil 120 730
PA HE Airburst 2 Nil 120 730
PA ILLUM 2 Nil 120 730
PA Thermobaric 2 Nil 120 730
PA WP 2 Nil 120 730

PN Grenade Launcher Ammunition
Round Round Weight Round Price Damage Penetration
APERS 0.08 kg $2 1d6x8 Nil
CHEM 0.15 kg $2/$4/$6 C2 (B1) Nil
Flash-Bang 0.12 kg $3 (C4) Nil
Flechette 0.08 kg $4 1d6x8 1-2-Nil
HE 0.16 kg $2 C2
B11 Nil
HEAT 0.16 kg $6 C1
B9 29C
HEDP 0.16 kg $4 C2
B11 4C
HE Airburst 0.17 kg $6 C3
B14 Nil
ILLUM 0.15 kg $2 (B145) Nil
Thermobaric 0.18 kg $10 C6
B6 14C
WP 0.15 kg $5 C2
B6 Nil

Enfield EM-2
Notes: This bullpup rifle, years ahead of its time, really looked for a short time like it was going to become the new infantry rifle of
the British Commonwealth.
It was a very unconventional rifle for its time; not only was it a bullpup weapon reminiscent of the much-
later L-85 series, it fired a small, short cartridge – the .280 British round, developed specifically for the purpose. The weapon
incorporated a carrying handle and an optical sight to increase aiming accuracy.
Experience with bullpup-type rifles at the time was
small, and there were initially some difficulties with an overly-complicated operating mechanism in its predecessor, the EM-1. (The
EM-1 borrowed heavily from another rather complicated design, the Nazi Gerät 06, a gas-operated roller-locking experimental rifle
designed by Mauser.)
Enfield then turned to a less complicated (but still rather modern) gas-operated system with flap locking, and instead of the
stamped steel of the EM-1, returned to largely machined parts, which were more suited to British manufacturing methods of the time.
Another modern feature was that the primary sight was a 1x reflex-type sight which could be replaced with a compact 3.5x sight, with
backup iron sights.
The EM-2 was ergonomically sound, well balanced with easy-to-reach controls and quite controllable in automatic
fire.
The EM-2 design worked quite well and was very reliable, and about the only thing that stopped its adoption by British armed
forces was politics – in this case, the beginning of NATO, the demand for a common NATO round for its members’ rifles, and an
absolutely intractable United States, who insisted on what would become the 7.62mm NATO round.
The British briefly considered
going its own way rifle-wise – The EM-2 even received the British Army designation of “Rifle, Automatic, No. 9 Mk 1” – and Belgium
and Canada also produced experimental designs firing the .280 British cartridge. The US essentially bullied the rest of NATO into
adopting the 7.62mm NATO cartridge.
Enfield tried converting the EM-2 to fire 7.62mm NATO, but the result was a rifle that (like most of the 7.62mm NATO rifles
designed at the time) was uncontrollable in automatic fire. They then converted the EM-2 to fire only on semiautomatic, but the British
Government, citing the costs and the length of the development program, decided to license a variant of the FN FAL (which became
the L-1A1).
Only 25 examples of the EM-2 were built in .280 British, plus the very few experimental 7.62mm NATO versions.
I feel
this is a shame, as the British would have had an exceptional assault rifle at least a decade before anyone else in NATO; in addition,
the .280 British is a much better intermediate round than the 5.56mm NATO that we eventually ended up with. (In addition, this would
not be the last time that the US would use political bullying to stop the British from fielding a superior assault rifle…)
Just for the heck of it, I included a 7.62mm version below, though I don’t even know if any examples of those experimental versions
of the EM-2 even exist anymore.
EM-2 .280 British 3.41 kg 20 $974
EM-2 7.62mm NATO 3.62 kg 20 $1194

EM-2 (.280) 5 4 2-3-Nil 6 3 8 71
EM-2 (7.62mm) 5 4 2-3-Nil 6 4 10 76

Enfield XL-64
Appears in: Experiment into a possible new assault rifle for British Forces in Mid to late 1970s.
Notes: In 1960s, the British were (as many countries) looking for smaller, lighter assault rifles to replace their larger, bulkier battle
rifles firing high-powered ammunition.
The British MoD liked the compactness and light weight of the US M-16 series and its 5.56mm
NATO round, but had also paid close attention to the numerous deficiencies of the M-16 series and its ammunition that were being
revealed in Vietnam. The idea of a lightweight rifle firing small-caliber, high-powered ammunition was a good idea, but they felt they
could do better. This led to the predecessor of the L-85, called the XL-64.
Enfield and the British MoD had always liked their EM-2 design (and rightly so).
The bullpup design made for a compact, handy
weapon, suitable for a variety of roles, from a cook who has it slung over his shoulder for emergencies to infantrymen on the attack.
Enfield felt that improvements in ammunition propellant and bullet construction meant that they could use a far smaller round than that
of the EM-2 – it wouldn’t be as powerful as the .280 British round, but could outclass the 5.56mm NATO. Radway Green, the
company contracted to produce the ammunition, started with a necked-down and trimmed 5.56mm NATO case, eventually ending up
with a 4.85x49mm round.
(This round was very close in dimensions to the 5.56mm NATO round, and many 5.56mm-firing weapons
could be easily converted to fire it using a kit that Enfield also intended to produce.)
The XL-64 could easily be mistaken for an early L-85 at first glance – because they are essentially the same weapons. (More on
this later.) The XL-64 had been long in the design and finalization of its configuration, and it was the mid-1970s before it was
revealed; trials didn’t even start until 1978.
Once trials started, problems began immediately – and they were almost entirely political
(and monetary) problems.
Once again, the United States had already decided that the new version of the 5.56mm NATO round, the
FN-designed SS-109, was going to be the new NATO standard assault rifle round, and weren’t interested in anyone else’s cartridge
designs. (Of course, tons of money were also on the line.)
Enfield had realized almost from the beginning that the same thing that happened to their .280 British cartridge would almost
certainly happen to their new 4.85mm round.
Therefore, they designed into the XL-64 almost from its inception the capability to be
easily converted to fire the 5.56mm NATO round and use M-16-type magazines. Though the SS-109 round was in its infancy when
Enfield began working on the XL-64, only a few modifications were needed to accommodate the SS-109.
That, and some more cost-
cutting measures, morphed the XL-64 into the L-85.
One good thing did survive the XL-64 program – the SUSAT 3.5x light weapons sight.
This compact scope would go to equip
many L-85s, and draw the attention of the entire world.
XL-64 4.85mm British 3.89 kg 20, 30 $711

XL-64 5 3 1-1-Nil 5 2 5 48

Heckler & Koch G-11
Country of Origin: Germany
Appears in: German weapon competition of the 1970s and 1980s, and later the US ACR competition.
Notes: The initial design work for the G-11 began in 1969, in response to a German Army request for a new rifle with a high first-
round hit-probability, even when fired on automatic, yet would be light, compact, and extremely resistant to harsh climates. Many
designs came and went, but by the late 1980s, Heckler and Koch presented the G-11 in final form. The G-11, though reportedly a very
effective weapon, suffered from rumors that the ammunition could cook off, that it’s construction made maintenance difficult for both
armorers and users, and that it’s looks and design were so exotic as to assault the sensibilities of traditional weapons. In addition, it
did not fire 5.56mm NATO ammunition, which was a cardinal sin in NATO at the time. On top of this came the reunification of
Germany, and the massive amounts of AKM and AK-74-type weapons the former East German Army already had available. Finally,
the G-11 was going to be an expensive weapon to produce, and retooling for series production would take even more expense. By
2006, despite reports of very limited use by special operations forces in various countries, the G-11 is largely a curiosity piece, found
mainly in museums or gun collections.
The G-11 was a revolutionary design, almost completely encased in plastic composites, with 50-round composite magazines that
were sealed in plastic until they were loaded. Operation is by gas with a hint of blowback, with a cocking "dial" on the side of the stock
and a fire selector above the pistol grip. Original G-11’s had selector settings for safe, semiautomatic, 4-round burst, and fully
automatic. Once a magazine is loaded into the G-11 (slid into a track atop the handguard), the rounds face downward, and rounds are
pushed downwards into the breech/chamber. The breech/chamber then rotates 90 degrees to line up with the 21.26-inch barrel. The
cocking "dial" does not move when the G-11 fires, and can also be used as a decocker. The magazine moves back and forth in its
track as the rifle fires; this actually helps dampen recoil, along with some other recoil-dampening mechanisms inside the G-11. When
firing on full automatic, the cyclic rate is rather slow, at about 600 rpm; but when on burst, the cyclic rate rises to over 2000 rpm – so
fast that the fourth round is well downrange before the recoil from any of the rounds is felt. (This kind of burst feature served as a
model for future burst-firing weapons, and is now quite common on such weapons.) This makes bursts extremely accurate and
virtually immune to barrel climb. There is, of course, no spent case ejection, but dud rounds are automatically ejected from a port with
a hinged cover under the "receiver." This port closes again after the round is ejected. The "receiver" is topped with a carrying handle
that contains a simple 1x aiming tube with a Mil-Dot reticule, with provisions for the removal of this aiming tube and replacement with a
special 3.5x scope or certain other optics. The G-11 is also a very compact assault rifle, only a little over 29.5 inches long, despite the
length of its barrel. The barrel is tipped by a cylindrical flash suppressor. The original version of the G-11 had no provision for the
mounting of a bayonet, but this was quickly rectified.
Heckler & Koch went through a number of prototypes over the intervening years, but the initial production model was supposed to
be the G-11K2; this model used 45-round magazines, but there were three mounted above the handguard (which was also larger,
rounded on the bottom, and otherwise rather squarish). (The G-11K2 is still capable of being loaded with the original 50-round
magazines, but they will not fit into the spare magazine tracks on the sides of the loaded magazine.) One of these magazines was to
be carried inserted into the rifle, with the other two on separate tracks on either side of the inserted magazine to allow for quick
magazine changes. The three magazines were carried lower on the top of the handguard than on the original G-11. A locking slot for a
special bayonet was added, and the cylindrical flash suppressor was replaced by semi-flash suppressor combined with a muzzle set
well back from the front of the weapon, effectively doing the same job. The carrying handle was replaced with one which could be
completely removed, with a mount for various NATO-compatible optics. (A future modification was to include a length of MIL-STD-
1913 rail.) The burst setting was changed from four to three rounds, to simplify the fire mechanism. A number of other mechanical and
ergonomic modifications were also carried out, and the shape of the G-11K2 is very different from that of the original G-11.
Of course, the most revolutionary aspect of the G-11 is its ammunition, which is caseless. The bullet and combustible primer is
embedded in a block or propellant, and nothing needs to be ejected after firing; there is no spent brass. The ammunition is therefore
extremely light in weight and compact in size, allowing for a large magazine capacity without undue weight or magazine size. (I
personally think this sort of ammunition for small arms may be the wave of the near future, but that’s just my opinion.)
When the US military announced its competition for the ACR (Advanced Combat Rifle), Heckler and Koch sent some G-11K2s for that
competition, where it picked up monikers like "space rifle" and "plastic plank," despite the fact that the troops testing the G-11 liked its
performance and compact size. However, the US military had such a large investment in M-16-type weapons, and especially in the
5.56mm NATO cartridge, at the time of testing, which was probably the biggest reason for its ultimate rejection.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Production of the G-11 began very rapidly in 1990, and just as quickly slowed in 1991; by 1994, Heckler &
Koch were concentrating on the G-41 and then-upcoming G-36. Despite some 20,000 examples of the G-11 being made, by 2000,
most of them had been discarded as pre-war stocks of ammunition were largely expended and new stocks were almost impossible to
make using the production methods available by 2000.
Merc 2000 Notes: This is a popular weapon for special ops forces operating in harsh climates. If you encounter a force armed with
the G-11, they are probably clandestine forces of a large national government or of someone who has a lot of money to spend on
exotic weapons and ammunition.
G-11 4.7mm Caseless 3.6 kg 50 $805
G-11K2 4.7mm Caseless 3.6 kg 45, 50 $805

G-11 4/5 3 1-1-Nil 5 2 3/5 48
G-11K2 3/5 3 1-1-Nil 5 2 3/5 48

Interdynamic MKS/MKR
Country of Origin: Sweden
Appears in: Company experiment into an alternative type of assault rifle.
Notes:
These were very unusual-format assault rifles designed by Interdynamic in the late 1970s. The idea was to provide a
compact weapon for vehicle crews, paratroopers, and special operations troops. They are “semi-bullpup” designs; the layout is fairly
standard, but the magazine is used as the pistol grip of the weapon, and this contributes to a shorter length.
The bodies of the rifles
are largely of high-impact plastic.
The MKS fires 5.56mm NATO ammunition, but the MKR fires an experimental 4.7x26mm rimfire
cartridge in addition to a version firing 5.56mm NATO.
The MKR has a longer barrel and uses a standard stock, while the MKS uses a
folding stock. Both of these weapons were rejected by Sweden and everyone else, and there were only tiny amounts of civilian sales;
the Swedish Army’s primary strike against the 4.7mm version was the lack of stopping power from the unusual ammunition.
The
biggest strike against the MKS was, though it had a semi-standard layout, used the magazine as a pistol grip, which was very
awkward except for those with very big hands. Barrel length for the MKR was a nice 23.6 inches, due to the bullpup layout; the MKS
Rifle had a barrel of 18.4 inches, and the Carbine 13.75 inches. They are presented as a “what-if.”
MKS Rifle 5.56mm NATO 2.72 kg 30 $609
MKS Carbine 5.56mm NATO 2.36 kg 30 $562
MKR 5.56mm NATO 2.99 kg 30 $622
MKR 4.7mm Interdynamic Rimfire 2.99 kg 50 $398

MKS Rifle 5 3 1-Nil 4/5 3 7 49
MKS Carbine 5 3 1-Nil 4/5 3 7 32
MKR (5.56mm) 5 3 1-Nil 5 3 7 61
MKR (4.7mm) 5 2 1-Nil 5 2 6 55

Kalashnikov AKMR
Country of Origin: Russia (Soviet Union)
Appears In:
Twilight 2000 game since its inception.
Notes: This weapon was never produced in the real world, at least not officially, though it is possible that some early AK-74s were
in fact modified AKMs.
Any such weapons, however would still be of better quality than a hypothetical AKMR.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Early in the Twilight War, the Russians and some of its Eastern European allies had a problem: they had
invested heavily in the new 5.45mm Kalashnikov round, but production of the AK-74s to fire them was seriously lagging.
At the same
time, there were large amounts of AK47s and even AKMs that were no longer mechanically reliable due to wear.
The decision was
made to “fix” those old rifles; they were rebarrelled and rechambered to accept 5.45mm Kalashnikov ammunition and the new
magazines designed for it, other worn out parts were sometimes replaced, and rotting wooden stock were replaced with new ones (or
sometimes even ones made of plastic or fiberglass). These weapons were then issued back out to the hoards of Category III,
Mobilization only, and militia units being raised. The “AKMR,” as the weapon was dubbed, was regarded as being unreliable
compared to the average AK series weapon, and modification standards were generally poor and got poorer as the war went on.
Depending on the base weapon, a soldier might either be issued a standard AKMR or a folding stock AKMRS.
AKMR 5.45mm Kalashnikov 3.7 kg 30, 40, 75D $496
AKMRS 5.45mm Kalashnikov 3.2 kg 30, 40, 75D $521

AKMR 5 2 1-Nil 5 2 6 42
AKMRS 5 2 1-Nil 4/5 2 6 42

Kalashnikov AK-47 – the Prototypes
Country of Origin: Russia (Soviet Union)
Appears In: Russian research leading up to the AK-47.
Notes: There have been a lot of prototypes, experimental versions, and variants of the AK series from Soviet and Russian
designers over the years.
Many of them failed or were never adopted, for a variety of reasons – they didn’t work, they were too
complicated, they were technologically infeasible at the time of their inception, the improvements weren’t necessary, too complex, or
too expensive, their designers were not in political favor at the time, etc. Some of them were good, solid weapons, some sucked, and
some were quite interesting.
This entry will describe some of these variants and put them into game terms.
There is much evidence that work on the rifle that became the AK-47 may have started as early as late 1943 (most experts believe
Kalashnikov started with captured Nazi StG-44s, though Mikhail Kalashnikov himself insisted until his death that his was an original,
independent design, with no influence from any other weapon).
However, the first prototype of the AK-47 that is generally known was
actually the AK-46 No. 1 of 1946. The AK-46 No. 1 fired the predecessor of the current 7.62mm Kalashnikov round, which is generally
called the 7.62x41mm Kalashnikov or 7.62x41mm M-1943 (both cartridges were designated by the Russians the M-1943).
The AK-
46’s design was quite similar to that of the AK-47, though the receiver has features reminiscent of the StG-44 – it actually looks like a
sort of blend of the StG-44 and AK-47. Unlike the AK-47, the AK-46 used a gas piston and rod assembly that are separate from the
bolt carrier. The pistol grip is actually made of a steel frame with thick wooden grip plates.
The 15.63-inch barrel was ported with 3
holes on either side of the barrel, just behind the front sight assembly – a feature later dropped, reportedly as a cost-cutting and
manufacturing time-saving measure.
(The front sight assembly actually sits directly above the muzzle.)
The safety and selector
switch were separate, and located on the left side of receiver above the trigger. Ironically, the receiver was made of stamped steel
instead of milled and machined steel, in order to make the AK-46 lighter and cheaper to produce – a feature that would not be found
on production AK rifles until the introduction of the AKM.
Prototypes rapidly moved along to the AK-46 No. 2 version.
Though for the most part similar to the No. 1, the No. 2 changed to a
sectional receiver built out of a combination of stampings that are welded and/or riveted as necessary. (This made production easier
and cheaper, but led to a somewhat weaker receiver assembly.) The charging handle could be detached from the bolt carrier in order
to prevent it from being caught on equipment, clothing, or other possible snags; the AK-46 No. 2 could still be operated with the
charging handle removed by a finger hole in the bolt carrier face (similar to that of the M-3A1 Grease Gun submachinegun).
The
barrel porting was deleted, and the handguards and gas tube made shorter. The barrel length was increased to 17.72 inches, though
it included a substantial length of unprotected barrel from the end of the gas block to the muzzle – and the barrel itself is of a rather
narrow cross-section, leading one to believe that bending could be a problem. The AK-46 No. 3 is based on the No. 2, but has a
forward-folding stock of the type found on the later AKS-47 and AKMS; in addition, the barrel length is reduced to 15.75 inches.
The first AK-47 prototype, the AK-47 No. 1, was still chambered for the 7.62x41mm cartridge.
In external appearance, it looked
more like the AK-47 we all know and love, though the stock had more of a drop and the handguards looked a bit lumpish. The barrel
length remained at 15.75 inches, but the barrel porting reappeared. The gas piston and rod assembly assumed their current form,
integral with the bolt carrier, joined by a threaded portion and secured by a pin.
The receiver of the AK-47 No. 1 was once again made
of stamped steel, with a chamber extension to ensure a proper fit with the barrel.
Changes were made to the operation to make
locking more reliable and case extraction simpler and more reliable.
The safety and fire selector were relocated to the now-familiar
position on the right side, with a paddle switch almost identical in shape to production AK-series weapons. The gas system did not
have the regulator of production AKs.
The AK-47 No. 2 prototype lengthened the barrel somewhat to 15.94 inches, and the barrel porting was replaced by a two-chamber
muzzle brake; the front sight assembly was moved behind this brake. (The barrel length does include this brake; the nominal length of
the barrel was still 15.75 inches.) The assembly was also of stronger construction.
The handguards were a bit shorter.
The structure
of the front end of the gas tube and the gas block are rather striking – they look almost identical to those of the StG-44.
There were
two brass strips on the right side of the receiver near the front; these were used to mount various vision devices for testing purposes.
The stock had a slightly-raised cheekpiece and much less of a drop than the AK-47 No. 1; the wood of the pistol grip was checkered.
The AK-47 No. 3 was virtually identical to the No. 2, but the end of the gas tube and gas block assumed their now-familiar shape, and
the two-chamber muzzle brake was replaced by two simple, oval shaped barrel ports. The AK-47 No. 4 was basically the same
weapon as the AK-47 No. 3, but used the same folding stock as the AK-46 No. 2. The AK-47 No. 5 is the AK-47 No. 4, but without the
barrel porting, and a few other measures to lighten the weapon.
The AK-48 No. 1 and No. 2 were the last prototypes of the AK-47 before the rifle that is known today as the AK-47 began mass
production (which began in late 1948, with first issues to units starting in mid-1949).
These prototypes were generally in the same
form as the production AK-47 and AKS-47; the No. 1 corresponded to the production AK-47 and the No. 2 the production AKS-47.
The ammunition had been revised, and both examples of the AK-48 fired what is now called the 7.62mm Kalashnikov round. The
barrel assumed the length of production AK-47s – 16.34 inches.
However, while the barrel porting was deleted, the muzzle was
threaded to allow the attachment of various muzzle devices, including silencers and suppressor, muzzle brakes, or even an adapter
for use with a possible (at the time) vehicular firing port that might be later developed.
The No. 2 used a folding wire stock, though it
was simplified in construction over the folding stock used on the other AK-47 prototypes.
AK-46 No. 1 7.62x41mm Kalashnikov 3.91 kg 30 $833
AK-48 No. 1 7.62mm Kalashnikov 3.95 kg 30 $797
AK-48 No. 2 7.62mm Kalashnikov 4.03 kg 30 $822

AK-46 No. 1 5 4 2-Nil 6 3 8 43
AK-46 No. 2 5 4 2-Nil 6 3 9 52
AK-46 No. 3 5 4 2-Nil 4/6 3 9 44
AK-47 No. 1/No. 2 5 4 2-Nil 6 3 8 44
AK-47 No. 3 5 4 2-Nil 6 3 8 44
AK-47 No. 4 5 4 2-Nil 4/6 3 8 44
AK-47 No. 5 5 4 2-Nil 4/6 3 9 44
AK-48 No. 1 5 4 2-Nil 6 3 9 46
AK-48 No. 2 5 4 2-Nil 4/6 3 9 46

Knight’s Armament SR-47
Appears In: US experiments by US Navy SEALs.
Notes:
Early in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the US found itself with a shortage of 5.56mm NATO ammunition and mountains 7.62mm
Kalashnikov ammunition as well as magazines for it. A temporary fix was to issue AKs to rear area troops and some scouts, but many
at the Pentagon thought a better solution would be an M-4 that could use AK magazines and fire AK ammunition, and such a weapon
could also be used by special operations troops behind enemy lines. This was the reason the SR-47 was designed. Six were
selected for field and combat evaluation under the temporary designation SPR-V (Special Purpose Rifle – Variant).
The SR-47 was
not successful, and after evaluation was drawn into the SCAR program, where the idea died.
The problem was that modifying the M4 (or M16, for that matter) in such a way that it could take an M4 lower presents a number of
problems, ranging from the larger magazines of the AK, to the fact that the small diameter gas tube of the M4 did not lend itself to
smooth operation with 7.62mm Kalashnikov ammunition.
The result was a weapon that was the bane of any soldier – a weapon that
consistently failed at the wrong moment.
Continual modifications and fixes were tried, but no satisfactory solution was achieved.
The SR-47 did have a number of features that set it above the AK.
It had MIL-STD-1913 rails atop the receiver and lower
handguard and the ergonomic advantages of the M-4. The SR-47 was designed to work with a silencer, which required a great deal if
modification on an AK platform.
SR-47 7.62mm Kalashnikov 3.52 kg 20, 30, 40, 75D $663

SR-47 5 3 1-Nil 4/6 2 6 45

Korobov TKB-022
Country of Origin: USSR
Appears In: Russian research into experimental variant assault rifles.
Notes: The design of the TKB-022 was finalized in 1962, and it was already several decades out of the box. Though the TKB-022
appears to be rather lumpish, it incorporated many features that would not appear until several decades later – a bullpup configuration
to provide a full-length barrel in a smaller package (the magazine feed is at the end of the buttstock), folding iron sights, sight bases
that allowed the mounting of several (Soviet) optics of the time, several passive and manual safeties, and the use of large amounts of
polymer.
The base operation is that of the AK-47/AKM, but modified to reduce recoil through an innovative add-on to the operation.
The TKB-022 appears to have fallen to the “just too weird” method of thinking – it was and still is a very strange-looking weapon – and
not really that ergonomic. Barrel length is a full 16.3 inches, with no flash suppressor or muzzle brake. Primary chambering is in
7.62mm Kalashnikov, but a few were made for 5.6mm Kalashnikov, at that time an experimental cartridge.
TKB-022 7.62mm Kalashnikov 2.8 kg 30, 40 $786
TKB-022 5.6mm Kalashnikov 2.4 kg 30 $489

TKB-022 (7.62mm) 5 4 2-Nil 4 4 10 41
TKB-022 (5.6mm) 5 3 1-Nil 4 3 7 41

KRASA
Country of Origin: Czechoslovakia
Appears in: Czech research into a new short assault rifle for special Ops and police forces.
Notes: The KRASA (for Kratky Samapol – short automatic weapon) was an extremely small and compact short assault rifle, more a
submachinegun in appearance but firing assault rifle ammunition, developed in the late 1970s for Czechoslovakia’s special operations
troops and for police.
The KRASA was a gas-operated weapon with a tilting block mechanism, and the magazine under the barrel
forward of the chamber and bolt in order to make the KRASA more compact. A two-stage feeding system moved rounds out of the
magazine and back to the chamber for firing. The barrel, only 6.7 inches long, was tipped with a compact but useful muzzle brake.
Feed is from 10 or 20-round magazines built for the KRASA or from AK-type magazines. Much of the KRASA was built using light
alloys and high-strength polymers, and the folding stock was of tubular light alloy struts with a plastic/rubber buttplate.
Prototypes of
the KRASA were built in both calibers, but apparently that is all that was built of this interesting little design, despite the fact that it
apparently (at least in a mechanical sense) worked quite well.
KRASA 7.62mm Kalashnikov 2.8 kg 10, 20, 30, 40, 75 Drum $779
KRASA 5.45mm Kalashnikov 2.2 kg 10, 20, 30, 40, 75 Drum $484

KRASA (7.62mm) 5 3 2-Nil 3/4 2 6 10
KRASA (5.45mm) 5 2 1-Nil 2/4 2 6 10

LAPA FA M-03
Country of Origin: Brazil
Appears in: Competition to replace the LAR in the mid-to-late 1980s.
Notes: This weapon was seriously considered to replace the LAR in the mid-to-late 1980s.
However, using the LAPA would have
meant extensive retooling and updating of weapon factories, as well as possible importation of the plastics used to make the body of
the weapon. In addition, retraining of the troops for a new type of weapon would have been required. Finally, the Brazilian troops
themselves did not trust this very non-traditional rifle, particularly those who had grown up with firearms.
As a result, the LAPA was
quickly withdrawn from consideration by the Brazilian armed forces, and had no luck on the international market either.
It was,
perhaps, a weapon that was just too far ahead of its time.
The M-03 is a bullpup design, molded almost entirely out of two pieces of
plastic. The M-03 has a single-action setting instead of a safety (but can still be fired at the BA rate at this setting).
It can use standard
US/NATO-pattern magazines, or a 40-round magazine designed for it.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Factories could not be geared up quickly enough to produce this weapon in large quantities, and after the
November Nuclear Strikes, the materials to produce it were almost unobtainable.
However, the troops who did use the LAPA loved it,
since it was virtually indestructible and idiot-proof.
Merc 2000 Notes: This is a Brazilian assault rifle that was adopted for a short time by Brazilian armed forces, and also had some
success with foreign sales.
LAPA FA M-03 5.56mm NATO 3.16 kg 20, 30, 40 $760

LAPA FA M-03 3/5 3 1-Nil 4 2 4/6 47

Objective Individual Combat Weapon (XM-29 OICW)

Appears in: Advanced weapon experiment in the early 2000s.
Notes: This weapon was designed in the aftermath of the failure of the US Army and Marines to choose a new assault rifle in the
late 1980s.
The OICW bears no resemblance to any assault rifle, having a 20mm grenade launcher and a 5.56mm NATO carbine, as
well as newly-designed optics which greatly-increase hit probability, and a computer-controlled 20mm round which is designed to
shower enemy soldiers hiding behind cover with shrapnel.
Development of the weapon began in 1994, but development has been a very slow process.
The OICW’s 20mm round explodes
over the target, showering the target(s) with 1d6+2 pieces of shrapnel. Point-detonations are also possible, with 1d6 pieces of
shrapnel being produced, or attacking fortifications with a DPW of 6.
The OICW’s sight is equivalent to both an image intensifier and a
starlight scope, as well as being an electronic sight.
A sticking point of the OICW is the weapon’s high cost and high weight.
The
OICW, as presented here, is probably not in the final form, and it is not expected to be in service before 2006 at the earliest.
Twilight 2000 Notes: The OICW does not exist in the Twilight 2000 World.
Merc 2000 Notes: As the Notes, except that the service date is delayed until 2008 due to budgetary concerns.
OICW 5.56mm NATO + 20mm OICW Grenade 8.42 kg 20, 30 + 6 $5834

OICW (Carbine) 2 2 1-Nil 5 2 2 39
OICW (GL, HE) SA C1
B7 Nil 5 1 Nil DF 140, IF 830
OICW (GL, HEDP) SA C1
B7 2C 5 1 Nil DF 140, IF830

POF-USA/Vltor P-415/P-416
Appears in:
Special Weapons for Military & Police April 2009 issue; the weapon is a special modification done by Charlie Cutshaw.
The P-416 version was something I added in as a “what-if.”
Notes: Noted firearms expert and gunsmith Charlie Cutshaw took a POF-USA P-415 chambered for 6.5mm Grendel and modified it
using a Vltor VIS (Versatile Interface Structure) kit for the upper receiver, along with a Vltor Rifle Modstock.
Then Cutshaw added
some other extras, such as a Vltor top-mounted bipod, attached to the top of the handguard.
The trigger group is match-quality.
The
rifle uses an 18.5-inch match-quality tipped with a Vltor VC-65 flash suppressor/brake. The handguards have four-point MIL-STD-
1913 rails, and the upper receiver has its own MIL-STD-1913 rail. The receiver rail is topped with a Leupold Mk 4 1.5-5x20mmMR/T
telescopic sight, and the upper handguard rail uses an AN/PVS-22 UNS (Universal Night Sight), a 3rd-Generation night vision scope.
The two can be used together day or night since the AN/PVS-22 has a day and a night channel.
On the lower rail is a SureFire M-900
Foregrip WeaponLight with an IR filter attached to allow night use without showing a bright visible light source. It also includes a
vertical foregrip behind the light.
(The SureFire M-900 is required since the AN/PVS-22 needs a light source to function.)
Charlie Cutshaw’s conversion job is based on the semiautomatic P-415; simply use only the semiautomatic figures for this version.
POF-USA/Vltor P-415/P-416 6.5mm Grendel 3.63 kg 16, 25 $1877

POF-USA/Vltor P-415/P-416 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/6 2 5 68
With Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/6 1 2 89

Saurian Game Gun
Appears in:
Dinosaur World, a book by Stephen Leigh.
Fictional Notes: This personal Gatling gun was featured in Stephen Leigh's book Dinosaur World (a concept he developed from an
idea by Ray Bradbury).
In this book, the hero uses a time machine to explore the Age of Dinosaurs, and has for dinosaur hunting a
six-barreled rotary weapon that fires .357 Magnum ammunition. Just imagine it as an antipersonnel weapon!
This weapon includes
telescopic sights for long-range use and an Aimpoint-type laser sight for short-range work.
The ammunition is carried in a backpack in
belted form.
Saurian Game Gun .357 Magnum 7.5 kg 100 Belt $2384

Saurian Game Gun 20 3 1-Nil 6 1 14 59

Smith & Wesson M-1945 Carbine
Appears in: Smith & Wesson weapon experiment post-World War 2.
Notes: This carbine was intended primarily for European military and police units, to fill the same role as the M-1 Carbine filled in
the US military – to be a light rifle for use by rear-area troops and drivers and for police to use as a heavier firearm than pistols. Smith
& Wesson did not seriously consider it something the US military would pickup, since the standard US military pistol round was the .45
ACP cartridge.
Nonetheless, they still submitted it to the US military at Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing, as well as to several
European countries.
Surprisingly, the testers at Aberdeen gave it high marks, though the 9mm cartridge it fired meant it would never
see US use. European countries also did not bite, stating that such a weapon was unnecessary in the wake of World War 2.
Smith & Wesson put wartime manufacture of the M-1 Carbine and M-1 Garand; the M-1945 strips in a similar manner to the M-1
Carbine, and the safety mechanism and some parts of the trigger mechanism are similar to those of the M-1 Garand.
Operation is by
locked Breech inertia, a type of blowback operation.
The 12-inch barrel is free-floating and of good quality, better than the typical
military weapon of the time.
The stock and fore-end are in one piece and are again similar to the M-1 carbine’s stock. The rear sight
is adjustable for windage and the front sight a fixed blade.
The M-1945 is designed to use with Sten magazines, but can also accept
the magazines of the M-3 Grease Gun conversion to 9mm Parabellum (which are also essentially slightly-modified Sten magazines).
The M-1945, at the time of its inception and prototype status, was a semiautomatic only weapon, an automatic version was projected,
which would make it into a submachinegun of sorts.
M-1945 9mm Parabellum 2.96 kg 32 $236

M-1945 5 2 Nil 4 1 3 26

Socimi AR-832/FS
Country of Origin: Italy
Appears in: Attempted weapon sale by Socimi in the late 1980s.
Notes: This weapon was designed in the late 1980s to provide a rugged weapon for Italian special forces and the San Marcos
Marines that also has a good punch.
The Italian government decided to concentrate on the AR-70/90 series instead. The AR-832/FS
is considered heavy for an assault rifle, but this also has the effect of fighting recoil and barrel climb.
It has the novel feature of a
special gas regulator that allows the firing of rifle grenades with normal ammunition that can normally only be fired using ballistite
cartridges. It is also a simple weapon to strip and maintain, and is very tolerant to dirt and abuse. Socimi withdrew the weapon from
the market after a few years, and it was never heard from again.
Twilight 2000 Notes: A number of these weapons were obtained by their intended users and could be encountered in their hands
during the Twilight War; the San Marcos Marines were said to be especially fond of the AR-832/FS.
AR-832/FS 7.62mm NATO 4.3 kg 20, 30 $1032

AR-832/FS 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/6 3 9 52

Socimi AR-871
Appears in: Entry into assault rifle to replace the AR-70/
Notes: This was another competing entry to the AR-70/90, and despite its good qualities, also lost that competition. The AR-871 is
able to take a modular sight mount to use the array of optics that were becoming available at the time. It is basically a scaled-down
AR-832/FS, fitted with a Picatinny rail that could be replaced with a conventional carrying handle/rear sight combination. In addition to
the light alloy construction of the AR-832/FS base, plastics are used for the stock and pistol grip. Like the AR-832/FS, it basically
disappeared from the market after the Italian military chose the AR-70/90.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Italian special operations personnel liked the punch of the AR-832/FS, but soon requested a smaller version
using the 5.56N cartridge.
Socimi’s response was the AR-871.
Like the AR-832/FS, it was a favorite of Italian special ops units, and
the San Marcos Marines.
AR-871 5.56mm NATO 3.6 kg 20, 30 $784

AR-871 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 4/6 46

Steyr-Mannlicher ACR
Country of Origin: Austria
Notes: This assault rifle was one of the finalists in the US military’s ACR competition.
Unlike the other three finalists in the ACR
competition, Steyr has slowly and quietly continued its development; Steyr believes that such rifles represent a possible path in the
future of assault rifles.
However, like all of the ACR competitors, the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR was rejected by the US military and Steyr
is not trying to sell it to anyone else at this point.
Though the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR bears a superficial resemblance to the AUG, its appearance is very different than that of the
AUG; it looks rather odd and vaguely ugly (at least to me, anyway). The Steyr-Mannlicher ACR used a bullpup layout, with the
exterior of the rifle made of a two-part polymer shell that hinges open for stripping and cleaning.
The polymer shell is strengthened
with light alloy or steel reinforcement where necessary. Like the AUG, the mechanism is largely made of steel or light alloy, with the
exception of a high-strength polymer hammer. Though the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR is a bullpup, it is completely ambidextrous; fire
controls are duplicated on the right and left, and case ejection is downward, with the ejection port being forward of the magazine
almost halfway between the magazine well and pistol grip.
(This just sounds like a bad idea from an ergonomic standpoint to me –
like a good way to get shells down your shirt.)
The magazine well is close to the butt itself, making quick magazine changes virtually
impossible in most cases, and the magazine release is behind the magazine well. The trigger mechanism, pistol grip, and large
trigger guard are taken directly from the AUG, though at request of the Pentagon, the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR has a standard selector
mechanism instead of the two-stage trigger of the AUG.
Atop the rifle is a long carrying handle/sighting rib; this rib has a mount for a
Steyr-developed 1.5-3.5x compact telescopic sight that is quite useable as a sort of ACOG-type sight, and the scope can be removed
and replaced with a standard adjustable rear sight.
The operation of the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR is quite novel.
The chamber’s barrel extension is not a part of the barrel; instead, it is
an independent piece. Between firing cycles, this chamber piece is below barrel and in front of the magazine; a rammer picks up a
round from the magazine and pushes it into the chamber piece, which then moves it to the breech where it is locked in place.
The
rammer mechanism also acts as the extractor and ejector.
The purpose of this operation is to provide a weapon that fires from an
open bolt for cooling, yet does not have the jarring motion of the typical open-bolt weapon that can easily throw off the aim of the
shooter.
Steyr Mannlicher apparently supplied two versions: one that used a 3-round burst setting, and one that used a full-automatic
setting.
The Steyr-Mannlicher ACR also uses a gas-piston mechanism to power its operation cycle, and, unusually for an assault rifle,
utilizes a modification of a telescoping bolt design in the form of an annular ring gas piston that surrounds the bolt. The result is a very
low recoil weapon firing a high-velocity cartridge and does not need a muzzle brake to reduce recoil, but uses a very complicated
mechanism.
The 20.25-inch barrel projected only for a very short length outside of the shell, making a specially-designed proprietary
bayonet necessary.
The ammunition designed for the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR is as novel as the rifle itself.
The cases are of high-strength, heat-
resistant polymer, and are actually rimfire rounds. The round is a flechette, and is entirely contained within the cartridge.
The muzzle
velocity of the flechette is about 1500 meters per second, and the flechette reaches it’s designed maximum effective range of 600
meters in less than half a second. The trajectory is thus very flat and the high speed means that compensation for drop at even long
ranges is rarely necessary – except for wind.
The Steyr SCF’s flechette (about the same size as AAI’s flechette, though even lighter in
weight) suffers from the same problem that most flechettes do – it is long, needle-like, very light, and fin-stabilized, making it very
susceptible to wind. Steyr also had problems with the synthetic casings during the US ACR tests – the cases suffered from
inconsistent strength due to manufacturing difficulties, and this led to the rounds producing inconstant chamber pressures when fired.
This in turn led to differences in muzzle velocity, and the trajectory of the flechettes tended to change from round to round as they
were fired.
Though in the figures below I have assumed perfected cartridges, the fact was that during the ACR tests, the Steyr-
Mannlicher ACR could vary from dead-on accuracy to utter inaccuracy (and everywhere in between) from shot to shot.
This problem
was the greatest strike against the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR (apart from the usual political and bureaucratic problems.)
Twilight 2000 Story: In the Twilight 2000 timeline, the Steyr-Mannlicher ACR is used in small numbers by the Austrian Army and
also by some Bosnian Army troops which maintain loose contact with Austria. The Bosnians found them almost impossible to make
spare parts for them domestically, and by 2001, almost no one was actually using the rifle.
In addition, the handful of US examples of
the weapon are all missing.
Steyr-Mannlicher ACR 5.56mm Steyr Synthetic-Cased Flechette 3.23 kg 24 $948

Steyr-Mannlicher ACR 3 2 1-1-Nil 5 2 3 56
Steyr-Mannlicher ACR 5 2 1-1-Nil 5 2 5 56

Thorpe EM-1
Notes: This was the primary competitor to the Enfield EM-2.
Externally, it looked similar to the EM-2, but was an even more
compact design, with a different-looking fore-end and a flat-sided receiver.
It used the same optical tube sight as the EM-2.
That
receiver, made from thin steel stampings, was rather flimsy and could fail on occasion. The firing mechanism was very efficient and
the trigger pull especially crisp, but it was also very complicated and the EM-1 could be a nightmare to field strip.
The EM-1 was
basically a weapon ahead of its time; it could not be designed or manufactured efficiently with the technology of the time.
EM-1 .280 British 4.68 kg 20 $974

EM-1 5 4 2-3-Nil 6 3 9 74

TRW LMR
Appears in: Weapon experiment post-Vietnam War.
Notes: The LMR (Low-Maintenance Rifle) was born of US experience in Vietnam, particularly the ridiculous information at first
given to US troops that the M-16 required virtually no maintenance of any sort.
The idea of a rifle which requires little or no
maintenance is a pipe dream, but in 1971, a study was started by the Pentagon to come up with a rifle for which this was really true,
and a company named TRW (Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge) was given the contract to develop it.
TRW’s LMR is a rather odd-looking assault rifle; it appears to have been built with the idea of using as little materials of any sort,
and therefore has a sort of bare and spartan appearance. (In fact, the LMR actually was designed to use as few parts as possible!)
Construction was largely of lightweight, yet strong steel, finished with a new, TRW-designed coating which proved to be highly-
resistant to corrosion and the elements. The LMR has perhaps the straightest, most in-line design I have ever seen in an assault rifle;
unfortunately, this means that the sights had to be put on high mounts.
The simple stock is adjustable for length to an extent.
Operation is by gas and uses a roller-locked design powering a gas piston. The LMR had only full-automatic and safe settings, but the
cyclic rate of fire is so low (450 RPM) that single shots and bursts are easy to squeeze off.
(This was done on purpose; it allowed for
a simpler fire mechanism.) The LMR fired from an open bolt, ejecting rounds to the left through an ejection port with a spring-loaded
cover that automatically opened and closed after each case ejection. Feed was from standard M-16 magazines, which were side-
mounted directly opposite of the ejection port.
Operating parts, as well as the chamber and the inside of the receiver, are coated with
a dry lubricant designed by TRW to allow the LMR to function with no need for the shooter to add lubrication. The pistol grip and
selector switch are an almost unmodified version of that of the M-60 machinegun.
The LMR used the standard M-16-type bayonet,
but it was mounted
above the muzzle, below the sight line. It could also mount the “scissors” bipod developed for the M-16.
The 19.4-
inch barrel had no flash suppressor or muzzle brake, nor was it intended to have one.
Virtually all of the LMR prototypes were designed for the 5.56mm NATO round (the M-193 version, not the modern SS-109 rounds,
which didn’t exist at the time), but at least one was designed for an experimental flechette round called the XM-216.
This round had
virtually the same external dimensions as the 5.56mm M-193 NATO round (to allow it to use the same magazines).
LMR development lasted until 1973. In the end, the LMR was a victim of the winding down of the Vietnam War, politics, budget
cutbacks, and the “weirdness factor” of a rifle that simply looked “too futuristic.”
LMR 5.56mm NATO 3.08 kg 20, 30 $581
LMR 5.6mm XM-216 3.08 kg 20, 30 $586

LMR (5.56mm) 5 3 1-Nil 6 3 6 53
LMR (5.6mm) 5 2 1-1-Nil 6 3 6 64

TSNIITOCHMASH Unified Assault Rifle
Country or Origin: Russia
Appears in: Russian weapon experiment of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Notes: Developed at the same time as the Unified Machinegun (see Russian Automatic Rifles), the so-called Unified Assault Rifle
(and Machinegun) were to be a family of small arms firing the same cartridge – hence the name “Unified.”
The assault rifle and light
machinegun were first shown at various arms shows in 1993, but they have not been seen again after 1997, although the Russians
are still distributing literature about the weapons and the possibilities of a weapons family based around the 6mm cartridge designed
for these weapons. The lineage of the Unified Assault Rifle can be traced to experiments first done in the late 1960s by Kalashnikov,
on an AKM variant called the AL-7. (Strangely enough, the UAR looks, externally at least, more crude than the AL-7.). The UAR is,
however, a much more polished design.
There are many speculations on why the UAR and its 6mm brethren have not been adopted
by the Russian military despite the greatly superior round, but cost of the fielding a weapon with a new cartridge and the logistical
problems of the same are probably the two biggest reasons.
The Unified Assault Rifle (UAR) is essentially a highly-modified AK-74, with the primary modifications made to accommodate the
larger, longer cartridge.
As with the AK-74, the UAR is largely constructed of stamped steel, but the buttstock, pistol grip, and
handguards are of polymer.
(The buttstock and pistol grip appear to be the same as used on the AK-74M.) The UAR appears to use
the same flash suppressor/muzzle brake as the AK-74, and it feeds from modified versions of AK-74 magazines. The barrel is 20
inches long, and the UAR uses standard AK-type sights.
Two rare variants of the UAR were also built in the hopes of better attracting foreign sales and Russian military sales. One was
chambered for 5.45mm Kalashnikov, and the other was chambered for 5.56mm NATO.
No one sees interested in them either; they
are essentially no better than any other rifle chambered for the same rounds.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Like the Unified Machinegun, virtually no UARs appeared in the Twilight War; the ones that did were primarily
in the hands of Spetsnaz troops.
Merc 2000 Notes: Also like the Unified Machinegun, the UAR never appeared except at a few arms shows, a victim of the world
recession.
Unified Assault Rifle 5.45mm Kalashnikov 3.06 kg 30, 40, 45. 60, 75 Drum $597
Unified Assault Rifle 5.56mm NATO 3.11 kg 30 $647
Unified Assault Rifle 6mm UMG 3.2 kg 30 $727

Unified Assault Rifle (5.45mm) 5 3 1-Nil 6 2 5 61
Unified Assault Rifle (5.56mm) 5 3 1-Nil 6 2 5 55
Unified Assault Rifle (6mm) 5 3 1-2-Nil 6 2 5 64

Type 87
Country of Origin: China
Appears in: Tests of a rifle to fire the then-new 5.8xmm Chinese cartridge.
Notes: After the introduction of smaller-caliber rifles by the US, NATO, and then the Soviet Union and some of her satellite states,
the Chinese began research into their own version of a small-caliber-firing military rifle. They were, however not totally convinced as to
the effectiveness of the small-caliber military cartridge concept, and not impressed by either the 5.56mm NATO or 5.45mm
Kalashnikov cartridges. The Chinese there decided to develop their own small-caliber military cartridge, eventually resulting in the
5.8mm Chinese cartridge.
However, the QBZ-95 series was not the first weapon to be chambered for the new round; before the QBZ-95, there was the Type 87.
The initial Type 87 was essentially a Type 81 with just enough modifications to enable it to fire the 5.8mm Chinese cartridge. In
addition, the Type 87 was built only in a folding stock version, but not the same type of folding stock as the Type 81. In addition, the
muzzle of the Type 87 has a different flash suppressor.
The Type 87 underwent extensive manufacturer and military evaluation; in addition, it also underwent limited field training with
Chinese troops. Its reliability was found wanting; this is most likely because the gas system was not modified sufficiently to handle the
new cartridge. It was also considered to be too heavy for a small-caliber-firing military rifle (especially since the Type 87 was supposed
to have been much lighter than the Type 81). The Type 81 was therefore quickly withdrawn, without achieving any sort of operational
status.
In the late 1980s, the Chinese were still working on the Type 87 and had made a number of improvements to the rifle. These
improvements let to the Type 87A. It was a much lighter rifle due to the extensive use of high-impact plastics and light alloys, and with
a modified gas system, it was also much more reliable. A small production run of Type 87A rifles was ordered by the PLA – about
enough to equip one battalion of Chinese Airborne troops, who conducted the field tests. Though reportedly quite pleased with the
Type 87A, they were trumped by higher command – the PLA brass didn’t feel that the Type 87A was enough of a technological
advance over the Type 81. The Type 87A was therefore withdrawn from service, and again never reached any sort of operational
status. The ultimate fate of the small production run of Type 87As actually built is unknown, but much of the technology and lessons
learned from the Type 87 and Type 87A later went into developing the QBZ-95 and improving the 5.8mm Chinese cartridge.
Type 87 5.8mm Chinese 3.95 kg 30 $598
Type 87A 5.8mm Chinese 3.33 kg 30 $600

Type 87 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 6 53
Type 87A 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 6 53

Valmet M-82
Country of Origin: Finland
Appears in: A paratrooper assault rifle experimental program in the early 1980s.
Notes: The M-82 was a rare variant of the M-76 (and is also referred to as the M-76B). The change in the design is easily apparent
– the M-82 has a bullpup construction, enclosed in an almost one-piece synthetic shell. (Pre-production versions were actually
enclosed in a wooden shell, which had to be carved in an expensive, time-consuming, and laborious process.) The barrel is tipped by
an M-16-type birdcage flash suppressor, and is capable of launching most rifle grenades in the world today. The trigger guard is larger
than the rest of the M-76 series, allowing for the use of bulky gloves, and can be hinged away from the trigger as well. The M-82 was
designed for airborne troops and special operations troops, both for domestic use and for export. However, during field trials and early
in the short deployment of the M-82, Finnish Paratroopers discovered a problem with the M-82: the position of the sights. While the
front sight remained near the muzzle (a protected post upon a large raised triangular mount), the rear sights were moved to a position
near the center of the weapon. Since Finnish paratroopers parachuted with the M-82 uncased atop their reserve chute, a bad PLF
often led to facial injuries, sometimes to the point of broken noses or teeth. A fall atop the M-82 could do the same thing. Such dislike
of the weapon by the troops using it may have led to the very short production run of the M-82, mostly for evaluation purposes; it was
never used in any operational role by any country.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Though an emergency production order for 1200 M-82s was authorized by the Finnish government in 1997,
only 776 examples were actually produced. These mostly went to security troops and certain bodyguard details.
Merc 2000 Notes: This is just one of those weapons normally found only as curiosities among weapon collectors or in museums.
M-82 7.62mm Kalashnikov 3.3 kg 20, 30 $797
M-82 5.56mm NATO 3.3 kg 20, 30 $549

M-82 5 4 2-Nil 4 4 9 42
M-82 5 3 1-Nil 4 2 6 38

W+F SG C-42
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Appears in: Swiss arms competition of the late 1980s.
Notes: Designed for the Swiss arms competition that eventually produced the SG-550 family, the C-42 nearly won that
competition. The breaking point with the Swiss government was the new ammunition that the family was designed around; 5.56mm
NATO ammunition was simply too readily-available, and SiG was ready with a 5.56mm-firing family of rifles. W+F found redesigning
the C-42 for 5.56mm ammunition difficult without retaining the performance of the C-42 family. Two of the family are essentially
submachineguns firing large rounds, and the Swiss Army has never really been that fond of submachineguns. (Technically, they’re
short-barreled assault rifles, but…) Added to that is that the C-42 family requires two new ammunition types, and the fate of the C-42
family was sealed.
However, apart from the performance of the new ammunition, the C-42 family had a number of interesting
features, such as a detachable bipod, a new bayonet lug stronger than standard Swiss bayonet lugs (except for the MP E-21, which is
too short to mount a bayonet), and a sight base able to mount a wide variety of optics. Again, except for the MP E-21, any of the
family can mount a grenade launcher adapter, which is removable. The rifles have a gas cutoff lever to allow older rifle grenades to
be launched using ballistite. They can fire on semiautomatic, automatic, or burst settings. The C-42 family are sound weapons, beaten
by sounder and more expedient weapons.
SG C-42 5.6mm NSK 4.18 kg 20, 25, 30 $1306
MP C-41 5.6mm NSK 3.96 kg 20, 25, 30 $1113
SG E-22 6.45mm NSK 4.12 kg 20, 25, 30 $1540
MP E-21 6.45mm NSK 3.91 kg 20, 25, 30 $1346

SG C-42 3/5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 3/6 59
Bipod 3/5 3 1-Nil 5/6 1 2/3 77
MP C-41 3/5 3 1-Nil 4/5 2 3/5 35
Bipod 3/5 3 1-Nil 4/5 1 2/3 45
SG E-22 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 2 4/6 77
Bipod 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 1 2/3 100
MP E-21 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 4/6 2 4/6 45

Bipod 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 4/6 1 2/3 58

AAI LSAT
Notes: The LSAT (Lightweight Small Arms Technology) is currently in the very early stages of development; projected field test are
not even until 2013 at the earliest.
Currently, LMG/SAW versions and MMG versions are being developed, with only very limited
working models actually existing at this time, and fewer than 1000 rounds having been fired through each of them as of yet.
The US
Military is participating in the development, though there are significant questions at to how soon it will be economically feasible to field
such weapons due to the radically different ammunition it is currently being tested with and projected future ammunition.
The primary
goal of the program (at present) is to produce weapons which are significantly lighter than current SAWs and GPMGs.
Most of the current development is being conducted with the LMG/SAW model.
This version has (depending what source you
consult) construction of 35-60% advanced composite materials, including (possibly) an entirely polymer shell, trigger, trigger guard,
ammunition belt (disintegrating) links, handguard, front sight post, sliding stock, and perhaps some other parts.
The barrel is of course
steel; the barrel is fluted to save weight, yet made from steel which is both stronger and lighter than the steel used to make most small
arms. The fluting also greatly assists in heat dissipation, and the barrel is also a quick-change barrel which requires no tools (or stupid
asbestos mittens) for the barrel changes. The most common barrel length mentioned is approximately 20.5 inches, though an
interchangeable barrel of approximately 22.5 inches is also mentioned in several sources.
Both are most commonly mentioned as
using a compact muzzle brake (which is how I have treated it here), but the use of a standard SAW-type flash suppressor is also
mentioned in some sources.
The receiver and some of the internal parts are made from lightweight titanium alloy. The handguards
have molded-in MIL-STD-1913 rails at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock position, and the receiver behind the feed cover also has a MIL-STD-
1913 rail.
At least 4 sling swivels are projected, allowing several different sling configurations and types. Operation is described as
“long-stroke, soft recoil,” further decreasing felt recoil to the shooter.
An MMG version is also projected, using an approximately 24-inch barrel, and either 5.56mm or 7.62mm-equivalent ammunition.
(This will be explained more below.) Common features for both the LMG/SAW and MMG include a titanium-alloy folding bipod, the
ability to be mounted on both standard NATO tripods or special light tripods being developed, and of course, its special ammunition.
The ammunition currently being tested with the prototype weapons is plastic-cased ammunition based on the 5.56mm NATO and
7.62mm NATO rounds.
Furthermore, this ammunition is case-telescoped, making it much more compact as well as being significantly
lighter.
Current prototypes are being tested with 100-round belts, but longer and shorter belts are projected for the future, along with
soft Kevlar containers attached to the bottom of the receiver.
Future models are also projected (though they are still on the drawing
board) that use belts of advanced caseless ammunition, and are even lighter than the current prototypes. There are no current
projections of when (or even if) the caseless-ammunition versions will appear, even as prototypes, but I have included them below as
“what-ifs.”
(For that matter, the entire entry is a “what-if,” considering that, due to the ammunition, the US Military may never actually
adopt them.)
Twilight 2000 Notes: The AAI research program which produced these prototypes started much earlier in the Twilight 2000
timeline; however, no more than about 200 LSAT LMG/SAW versions (designated XM-324) were ever fielded, and only in the case-
telescoped ammunition version.
Merc 2000 Notes: Budgetary difficulties prevented AAI from ever taking the LSAT off the drawing boards.
LSAT LMG/SAW (20.5” Barrel) 5.56mm CTA 4.25 kg 50B, 100B, 200B $1890
LSAT LMG/SAW (22.5” Barrel) 5.56mm CTA 4.3 kg 50B, 100B, 200B $1952
LSAT LMG/SAW (20.5” Barrel) 5.56mm CLS 3.84 kg 50B, 100B, 150B, 200B, 250B $1909
LSAT LMG/SAW (22.5” Barrel) 5.56mm CLS 3.89 kg 50B, 100B, 150B, 200B, 250B $1972
LSAT MMG 5.56mm CTA 4.38 kg 50B, 100B, 200B $2015
LSAT MMG 5.56mm CLS 3.96 kg 50B, 100B, 150B, 200B, 250B $2036
LSAT MMG 7.62mm CTA 5.82 kg 50B, 100B, 200B $3119
LSAT MMG 7.62mm CLS 5.26 kg 50B, 100B, 150B, 200B, 250B $3151

LMG/SAW (20.5”, CTA) 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/6 1 4 46
With Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/6 1 2 60
With Tripod 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/6 1 1 92
LMG/SAW (22.5”, CTA) 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 1 4 53
With Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 1 2 69
With Tripod 5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 1 1 106
LMG/SAW (20.5”, CLS) 5 3 1-1-Nil 5/6 1 4 55
With Bipod 5 3 1-1-Nil 5/6 1 2 72
With Tripod 5 3 1-1-Nil 5/6 1 1 111
LMG/SAW (22.5”, CLS) 5 3 1-1-Nil 5/7 1 4 64
With Bipod 5 3 1-1-Nil 5/7 1 2 83
With Tripod 5 3 1-1-Nil 5/7 1 1 127
MMG (5.56mm, CTA) 5 3 1-2-Nil 6/7 1 4 60
With Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 6/7 1 2 82
With Tripod 5 3 1-2-Nil 6/7 1 1 120
MMG (5.56mm, CLS) 5 3 1-2-Nil 6/7 1 4 72
With Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 6/7 1 2 94
With Tripod 5 3 1-2-Nil 6/7 1 1 144
MMG (7.62mm, CTA) 5 4 1-2-Nil 6/8 2 5 72
With Bipod 5 4 1-2-Nil 6/8 1 3 94
With Tripod 5 4 1-2-Nil 6/8 1 1 145
MMG (7.62mm, CLS) 5 4 1-2-3 6/7 2 5 87
With Bipod 5 4 1-2-3 6/7 1 3 113
With Tripod 5 4 1-2-3 6/7 1 1 174

ABRL XM-106
Seen In: SAW competition, mid-late 1970s.
Notes: Though it may seem that the XM-106 had two big point in its favors – it’s genesis in the US Army’s Ballistics Research Lab,
and it’s use of the M-16A1 as a base – but the XM-106 was only incrementally better than an M-16 on a scissors bipod, and only just
so. Design changes included an easy-to-change but complex-to-replace heavy barrel, a bipod which attached to a boss above the
center of the handguards, a foregrip just to the front of this (and somewhat difficult to use if the bipod was extended), and a fire
controls which only allowed safe or automatic (with further changes bringing down the XM-106’s ROF to 750 RPM). The front sight is
moved slightly closer to the muzzle, and the new barrel is 21.5 inches, tipped by an M-16A2-type flash suppressor. Firing was from an
open bolt.
Shortcomings of the XM-106 became more and more apparent as the tests went on.
At first, it was a problem with parts breakage
and damage – not that the parts were any more susceptible to damage, but the XM-106 was basically hand-built at the ABRL, and
many parts had to be carefully machined and/or hand-fitted when a failure of a part did occur.
The XM-106, after all, was a hand-
modified M-106A1, and the XM-106 appeared to be a rush job that wasn’t ready for prime time.
The method of barrel change was
borrowed from the M-60 machinegun, and had the same defect – each barrel change usually threw off the zero of the weapon. ABRL
went with a magazine feed; this was not conducive to sustained fire, and at the time, there were no reliable high-capacity magazines.
ABRL did design a special three-magazine clip that allowed three magazines to be clipped together, making reloads faster.
The XM-106 showed all the signs of a rush job; someone at ABRL seems to have had the genesis of good ideas, but not enough
time was taken to sharpen it.
On the other hand, the shortcomings list was a bit long.
Today, there are no surviving XM-106s;
survivors were used for parts for other projects, and the concepts introduced on the XM-106 were largely dispensed with; however,
Diemaco (formerly Colt Canada) went on to use the open-bolt firing, automatic-only lockwork, and a heavier barrel in other projects.
XM-106 5.56mm NATO 4 kg 20, 30 $1497

XM-106 5 3 1-Nil 6 2 5 60
(Bipod) 5 3 1-Nil 6 1 2 78

Boeing XM-8 SAW
Notes: This is basically an XM-8 with a 24-inch fluted heavy barrel, a standard XM-8 optical sight tube, and a bipod. The standard
magazine for the SAW version is the 100-round C-Mag; there is no provision for belt-feeding, though it can also use the 90-round
MWG (with some clumsiness). The XM-8 SAW is not intended to replace the M-249, merely to supplement it; in addition, the SAW is
intended to be used in a secondary role as a designated marksman rifle, and can use the 3.5x scope used on the DMAR.
Field trials
of the XM-8 SAW are expected in late 2005, with combat trials commencing some time around 2008.
As with the XM-8 assault rifle,
the XM-8 SAW was designed by Heckler & Koch, but the design was bought by Boeing in 2004.
Twilight/Merc 2000 Notes: This automatic rifle does not exist in either timeline.
XM-8 SAW 5.56mm NATO 4.74 kg 20, 30, 100C $1749

XM-8 SAW 5 3 1-Nil 6/7 2 5 71
(Bipod) 5 3 1-Nil 6/7 1 2 93

Colt CMG-2
Notes: The testing program for what eventually became the SAW (filled by the M-249) actually began way back in 1967, when Colt
began a private venture hoping to create a new weapon requirement for the US military.
(Eventually the military saw the usefulness of
a small-caliber light machinegun, but it took a long, long time.)
To this end, Colt designed the CMG-1 (Colt Machinegun).
This gun
turned up numerous faults during company testing and only a small amount of prototypes were built.
However, the CMG-1 was
eventually developed into the CMG-2; this was a much more reliable and robust design that was tested in combat in Vietnam by US
Navy SEALs in the early 1970s, where it was given the nomenclature of EX-27 Mod 0. The SEALs and Colt began an extensive
feedback program, and eventually about 25 examples were used by the SEALs (though only a couple made it to Vietnam).
The CMG-
2 was well-liked by the SEALs who had a chance to use one, but the Department of Defense decided that such a weapon was not
necessary, especially as the Vietnam War was winding down.
Development of the CMG-2 ended in 1982, and even the nomenclature
was withdrawn from use.
The CMG-2 is a belt-fed weapon with a quick-change barrel.
The belt was familiar to the SEALs; it is the same one used in the
Stoner 63 system. The CMG-2 can be fed from either side with only a few minutes of modifications, with case ejection being
downward from the receiver. The weapon has a forward pistol grip to help stabilize it during hip fire.
A bipod, borrowed from the M-
14A1, could be attached to the CMG-2, and normally was. The method of cocking the CMG-2 is a little unusual – there are two
cocking levers, one for sear (and which also functions as a safety), and one for the operating group.
This means that the CMG-2 can
be carried fully cocked, with a belt loaded into the weapon, with complete safety.
The weapon fires from an open bolt with a long
recoil system, making felt recoil relatively light. The drum for the belts was unusual; it employed a helical-feed chute which could
make it awkward to carry spares, and makes the CMG-2 difficult to load in a hurry.
In the end, stocks of the CMG-2 were relegated to museums and the weapons rooms of Crane Naval Warfare Center, and they
were basically forgotten.
I think it was a weapon with a few faults, but was basically ahead of its time.
CMG-2 5.56mm NATO 6.31 kg 150 Belt $1435

CMG-2 5 3 1-Nil 6 2 4 55
CMG-2 (Bipod) 5 3 1-Nil 6 1 2 72

Heckler & Koch LMG-11
Notes: This weapon was developed by Heckler and Koch as a squad automatic weapon variant of the G-11 assault rifle. Only a
few prototypes were built before development of all caseless ammunition weapons was stopped. The weapon resembles an enlarged
G-11, but the magazine is a package that is fed into the stock of the LMG-11. The LMG-11 fires the same ammunition (4.7x33mm
caseless) as the G-11 assault rifle.
The fire mechanism involves three rotating chambers to decrease the probability of cook-off during
sustained automatic fire.
An interesting what-if weapon, and I can see some employees of H&K pulling out the prototypes for use
against the Italian or French invasion.
LMG-11 4.7mm Caseless 5.36 kg 200 $1698

LMG-11 10 3 1-1-Nil 6 2 9 73
LMG-11 (Bipod) 10 3 1-1-Nil 6 1 4 95

Hughes Lockless Rifle/Machinegun
Notes: An innovative design, this automatic rifle was simply to innovative and different to be afforded the infrastructure necessary
for acceptance into the Army and Marines. Perhaps its most modern feature is its synthetic-cased telescoped ammunition –
something that would not appear until 25 years later in AAI’s LSAT program.
The synthetic case was completely combustible and an
extraction step in firing was unnecessary, the round requiring to be ejected only after a misfire or when clearing the weapon. This
made the Lockless Rifle/Machinegun quite resistant to dirt.
Unfortunately, though it passed initial testing and was well liked by the
soldiers testing it, the Lockless Rifle/Machinegun was not accepted by the brass, and did not even receive a testing designation.
As the name suggests, the Lockless Rifle/Machinegun could be used as a heavy rifle or as a SAW. The locking step of the
ammunition was unnecessary, increasing reliability and giving resistance to fouling. Unlike belt-fed weapons, the Lockless
Rifle/Machinegun could be loaded on the move with one hand. (A disadvantage is that the 64-round magazines were huge, despite
the significantly smaller size of the SCT ammunition.) At the heart of the block-shaped ammunition was a modified 5.56mm NATO
round.
The Lockless Rifle/Machinegun used the same caliber rifle, but was hotloaded due to its heavier 68-grain bullet. The 22-inch
barrel gave it greater accuracy – and a pepperpot-type muzzle brake kept recoil down.
It was not unduly heavy, however, useable
either from a bipod or in an assault situation. (Another disadvantage, one that was to be rectified in the future is the program, was that
a good fourteen inches of the barrel was unsupported.) The rear sights were on a riser, and were of the adjustable ladder type.
The
front sight was a post with ears.
Both were adjustable. Advanced optics were being designed for the Lockless Rifle/Machinegun, but
did not materialize due to its non-acceptance by the military.
Lockless 5.56mm Synthetic-Cased Telescoped 3.54 kg 64 $1727
Rifle/Machinegun

Lockless 5 3 1-2-Nil 7 2 5 51
Rifle/Machinegun
Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 7 1 3 67

Rodman Arsenal XM-235
Notes: In the late 1970s, the US Army held a competition to bring a new weapon class into the Army – the Squad Automatic
Weapon or SAW – in other words, a very light machinegun. The XM-235 was one of the last competitors in the competition, and came
close to winning. It was dreamed up by small arms engineers at Rodman Laboratories, then charged by the US Army with developing
and maintaining the Army’s small arms and ammunition.
Rodman developed the XM-235, but they had no facilities to produce even the small amounts needed to conduct the initial
operational training – Rodman was not in any way a manufacturing facility. So, interestingly enough, the Army chose one of the
manufacturers that the XM-235 (and XM-249) had beaten – Ford Aerospace.
Rodman designed the XM-235 from a clean slate, designed to break convention and fix the problems inherent to automatic
weapons. The found that in most automatic weapons, parts of the weapon were still in motion before any bullets left the barrel, and
this threw off aim from the start.
High power meant high felt recoil.
Light machineguns had excessive barrel climb and also
contributed to felt recoil. They tended to have ROFs of 800-1200 RPM, an excessive ROF for most purposes, and also contributing to
the lack of ability to aim. What Rodman did was to use long recoil operation, use a buffer system that permitted a relatively soft
amount of felt recoil, almost halve the ROF (compared to the M-16), ergonomic design, the use of a compact muzzle brake, changed
the way in which the gun handled the belt so that it moved smoothly instead of the “stop-and-go” motion of most belt-fed weapons,
and move the belt feed as close to the center of gravity as possible, with the ammo box ending up almost directly under the receiver.
They also built maintainability into the ZM-235, with most of the gun being modular and not requiring tools for assembly or
disassembly.
What looks like an upper and lower receiver are actually sheet metal covers.
The actual receiver is a pair of long tubes (upper and
lower), which essentially connect the working parts together.
You could literally run an XM-235 without the receiver covers, but it
would be highly un-ergonomic and look pretty silly.
The stock, also a sheet metal assembly, was in an almost perfect straight line from
the muzzle brake at the tip of the 24-inch barrel.
With all these sheet metal covers and assemblies, the XM-235 was a “semi-bullpup”
weapon, with a significant amount of its action in the stock, though with the belt feed in front of the pistol grip and trigger. The upper
receiver cover was peppered with small holes for ventilation.
Case ejection is above the pistol grip, though the charging handle was
well forward in the upper receiver. The simple but innovative bipod was folding, light alloy, and adjustable for height and cant. The
trigger guard was enlarged.
The XM-235 has been called the “best weapon the Army ever rejected.”
But why did it get rejected when it was an outstanding
weapon?
There were some minor points, like all that sheet metal getting dented during hard use. There were points from it’s
competitor, the XM-249 version of the Minimi – the Minimi was already in service in some countries and had a proven track record.
And then there was the ammunition – a version of the 5.56mm NATO design that was necked out to 6mm and with a steel core.
And
in the end, this was enough.
Rodman also designed a SAW that fires the 5.56mm NATO round, though it fires the SS-109 round that had been developed for
the Minimi. This was the XM-248.
XM-235 6mm Rodman 5.26 kg 100, 200 Belt $1720
XM-248 5.56mm NATO 5.26 kg 100 Belt, 200 Belt $1521

XM-235 5 3 1-2-Nil 7 1 4 75
Bipod 5 3 1-2-Nil 7 1 2 98
XM-248 5 3 1-Nil 7 1 4 70
Bipod 5 3 1-Nil 7 1 2 90

Unified Machine Gun
Notes: This weapon was designed as an experiment at the behest of Spetsnaz and Russian Airborne Forces, who were looking for
a combination of punch, light weight, and long range. The first examples were seen in 1993, but it is still considered a developmental
weapon, with ammunition even harder to find. (Development of the UMG has been delayed primarily due to financial reasons, as
have the AK-74 variants firing the same ammunition.)
There are probably no more than a dozen or so examples of this weapon
currently in existence. The UMG is equipped with an integral 2.5x sight that greatly increases the effectiveness of the weapon by
decreasing aiming errors.
The sight can be easily removed, and night or other optical sights of either Pact or Western origin can be
mounted instead.
Backup iron sights may also be used.
The UMG can be mounted on a standard Pact Light Tripod.
Twilight 2000 Notes: If you encounter a Russian soldier armed with this weapon, chances are that you have run into some sort of
special operations unit.
Merc 2000 Notes: Development of this weapon was delayed indefinitely due to financial reasons.
Unified Machine Gun 6mm Russian UMG 6.5 kg 100 Belt, 200 Belt $2621

UMG 5/10 3 1-2-Nil 7 2 5/10 110
UMG (Bipod) 5/10 3 1-2-Nil 7 1 3/5 143
UMG (Tripod) 5/10 3 1-2-Nil 7 1 1/3 221

AK-53
Appears In: In-company weapons research by SiG
Notes:
I decided to include this weapon not because it was used in any great numbers (or any numbers at all), but because it is so
weird.
The AK-53 is the only working example of a blow-forward automatic rifle.
When the rifle is fired, the barrel moves forward and
back instead of the bolt. This means that the overall length of the weapon is quite short despite a long barrel, but it also means that
the firer’s aim can be easily thrown off.
It also lends itself to rapid barrel heating, which in the case of the AK-53, usually means that
the remaining rounds in the weapon cook off, and then the reciprocating barrel jams in its sleeve until it cools again.
Needless to say,
SiG could not get anyone interested in the AK-53 and it rapidly became a museum piece.
AK-53 7.5mm Swiss 4.9 kg 30 $1121

AK-53 3 4 2-3-Nil 7 3 5 79

Armalite AR-3
Appears in: Gene Stoner's entry for the competition for the new battle rifle after World War 2.
Notes: Most of the design work for the AR-3 was actually done by the time that Gene Stoner joined Armalite. He used the
signature light alloys, fiberglass, glass fiber, and plastic construction that were so common in his works. The original design was
semiautomatic-only, and operated by the gas system that would later become famous (or some say, infamous) in the AR-10 and AR-
15. The design looked very much like an enlarged M-1 Carbine, with a light alloy frame, polymer fore-end, and a fiberglass/glass fiber
stock.
The 22-inch barrel was tipped by a large flash suppressor.
Unfortunately, Stoner and Armalite did not have the AR-3 ready in time for the competition, and so never went beyond a few
prototypes. However, design elements from the AR-3 would later appear Stoner and Armalite designs.
The AR-11 is the same rifle, scaled down to fire a smaller caliber. It was designed for evaluation by the Infantry General Staff, who
were evaluating small-caliber rounds that had high power. It was designed to fire a modified version of the .222 Remington, hot-loaded
and designed for high-performance.
Note that the AR-11 is not a Stoner design, though it is based on a Stoner design, The AR-11 is
sometimes called the Stopette, for reasons I have not been able to discover in my research. It was also called the SCHV, for Small
Caliber High Velocity. The AR-11 used the direct gas impingement operation as the AR-10, instead of the system that the AR-3 does.
Being a scaled-down AR-3, the form is virtually the same, with plenty of light alloy and fiberglass.
AR-3 7.62mm NATO 3.77 kg 20 $1047
AR-11 5.56mm SCHV 3.01 kg 20 $600

AR-3 SA 4 2-3-Nil 8 4 Nil 72
AR-11 SA 3 1-Nil 7 3 Nil 66

Armalite AR-10: The Prototypes
Appears in: Competition for new service rifle in mid-1950s
Notes: The AR-10 that everyone knows today was the result of several prototypes and modifications. The basic design was still
similar to the AR-10 familiar today, but was the result of several prototypes. Stoner began work on the AR-10 before he joined
Armalite, and several features that would become familiar later, such as the carrying handle, the straight-in-line design, and the direct
gas impingement system. The AR-10, unfortunately did not win the competition, despite many testers having judged it the best rifle in
the competition.
The AR-10, however, has come back, in the guise of the SR-25 SASS.
The first AR-10 prototype fired .30-06 Springfield (it appeared that the new rifle would fire .30-06 at the time). The barrel, bolt, and
recoiling mass were straight-in-line, reducing felt recoil.
The stock, however, did have a bit of a drop in it, behind the recoiling mass.
Despite the AR-10 prototype's cutting edge design, some features of earlier rifles were used, such as the use of BAR magazines, and
the sights and bolt locking mechanism of the Johnson Light Machinegun. The second prototype was made when the competition was
changed to what would become the 7.62mm NATO cartridge. It was very similar to the First Prototype, but used a completely straight-
in-line stock.
The front sight remained a post on a triangular riser, but the rear sight used was a ZF-41 optical sight as used on the
some versions of the Kar-98k.
In both prototypes, there was a carrying handle incorporating the rear sight and enclosing the charging
handle. Barrels were 20.8 inches; this would remain the same throughout the prototyping process.
Magazines were subcontracted
out, but proprietary at the time. The barrels for these two prototypes were light alloy, lined with stainless steel. Another feature which
would remain constant (though the parts differ between the prototypes) are the large-scale use of polymer and light alloy.
The third prototype, the AR-10 A (not to be confused with the modern-production AR-10A), can be immediately spotted by its front
sight assembly mounted on a pepperpot-type muzzle brake, similar to the mounting on a Johnson LMG.
The handguards are short,
leaving a long length of exposed barrel; this was an immediate no-go among the testers. The pistol grip was less sharply raked, and
rather un-ergonomic. The charging handle was attached to the exposed bolt on the right side. The AR-10A used a lot of polymer,
fiberglass, and light alloy, of course.
The AR-10 B (again, not to be confused with the modern-production AR-10B) incorporated a number of changes desired or
suggested by the military testers. Minor changes included the gas block moved to the top of the barrel, and a linking stainless steel
gas tube leading to the gas port in the lower receiver.
The charging handle was placed at the rear of the frame, a feature familiar to
AR-15 and M-16 users. The forward side had a narrow riser, and was positioned between the handguards and the muzzle device
(which was a more beefy muzzle brake than that of the AR-10 A).The barrel was, again, light alloy with a bore liner of stainless steel,
but it had more stainless steel thickness than previous AR-10 design. New handguards were designed; they looked very FAL-like, and
increased the rate of cooling. The light alloy receiver and some internal parts were made of steel or reinforced with steel frames; the
barrel also used a steel armature to bed the barrel. The butt and pistol grip were made of molded plastic strengthened with fiberglass;
the stock, for example, was hardened fiberglass and filled with glass fiber.
The US Army also found deficiencies in the AR-10 B; their
primary concern was the temperature the barrel reached, up to 600 degrees on occasion. Armalite chose not to attempt another entry
in the competition. Stoner and Armalite decided instead to sell semiautomatic version to civilians, and let it be license-produced in
small numbers in the Netherlands. Series production of the AR-10 only resulted in slightly over 9000 copies.
The version built by the
Dutch differed from the AR-10 B in having a long, open, birdcage-type flash suppressor, and in being much lighter due to heavier use
of advanced (for the time) light alloys and lighter fiberglass in the stock.
AR-10 (1st .30-06 Springfield 4.05 kg 20 $1235
Prototype)
AR-10 (2nd 7.62mm NATO 3.76 kg 20 $1046
Prototype)
AR-10 A 7.62mm NATO 3.87 kg 20 $1084
AR-10 B 7.62mm NATO 5.42 kg 20 $1234
AR-10 (Dutch) 7.62mm NATO 3.29 kg 20 $1046

AR-10 (1st 5 4 2-3-Nil 8 4 9 57
Prototype)
AR-10 (2nd 5 4 2-3-Nil 8 4 9 66
Prototype)
AR-10 A 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 3 8 66
AR-10 B 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 2 6 66
AR-10 (Dutch) 5 4 2-3-Nil 8 4 10 66

Armalite AR-16
Appears in: Gene Stoner’s attempt to produce a heavier-caliber rifle to compliment the AR-15.
Notes: The resemblance between this rifle and the AR-18 is more than passing; the AR-16, in fact, appears to be an AR-18
chambered for a larger caliber.
It was designed in the hopes of producing a rifle for nations (especially NATO) who were currently
using 7.62mm NATO weapons they weren’t happy about, and to supplement the M-16 series with an official issue heavier-caliber
rifle.
In the end, it turned into another “also-ran.”
It could not go against the political winds, especially in countries that didn’t
appreciate being saddled with the 7.62mm NATO cartridge in the first place.
And that’s too bad, because the AR-16 was an advanced, lightweight, well-balanced rifle that was relatively easy to strip and
maintain.
Starting up a production line would have a real-life cost one-quarter most other NATO 7.62mm rifles. The rifles themselves,
in real-life terms, would be three-quarters to one-half most NATO 7.62mm weapons of the period. (Of course, that’s Armalite-supplied
data, who were trying to sell their rifle to skeptical prospective customers…)
The AR-16 comes in rifle and carbine versions; both have match-quality floating barrels (20 inches for the rifle, and 16 inches for
the carbine) giving them sniper-rifle like accuracy (though most of the time through iron sights).The design was unusual for Gene
Stoner – it was a gas piston system, devoid of small parts and with parts hardened to dramatically increase endurance and reduce
wear, as well as an increase in reliability. The rear sight is a flipping peep sight, similar to that of the M-16A2 and adjustable for
windage and elevation (using dials); the front sight is a post.
In addition, the receiver is grooved and tapped for a variety of scope
mounts. In both cases, this is done by dials.
The magazine has been moved in front and above the trigger guard on the right side, and
actuated by depressing with the trigger finger. Construction is largely from steel and aluminum stampings and pressings. The stock,
pistol grip, and handguards are of wood, however.
The AR-12 is the direct antecedent of the AR-16. The primary difference is the use of a gas piston system instead of direct gas
impingement.
AR-16 Rifle 7.62mm NATO 3.97 kg 5, 10, 20 $1018
AR-16 Carbine 7.62mm NATO 3.56 kg 5, 10, 20 $1006

AR-16 Rifle 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 4 9 67
AR-16 Carbine 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/6 4 9 48

B-20
Country of Origin: Czechoslovakia (and later Czech Republic).
Appears in: Literature of the mid-1990s to early 2000s (and it is still being offered for sale, with no takers).
Notes: This Czech battle rifle looks like a reworked AK, but in fact uses a form of delayed blowback instead of the gas operation of
the AK series.
It also uses a larger caliber.
The B-20 is the variant of the B-10/20/30/40 series that seems to be the least in demand,
though sales of the entire series is very low.
Twilight 2000 Notes: The B-20 was often used in the Twilight War by Czech special forces operating behind enemy lines, since it
could use captured enemy ammunition.
In the Twilight 2000 World, a version of the B-20 was also designed to use 7.62mm Nagant
ammunition. It was otherwise in very limited issue.
B-20 7.62mm NATO 3.9 kg 10, 20 $1018
B-20 7.62mm Nagant 3.9 kg 10, 20 $1068

B-20 (7.62mm NATO 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/6 4 9 46
B-20 (7.62mm Nagant) 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/6 4 9 46

Birdman Weapon Systems M-82B1K-PDW
Country of Origin: US (Sort-of)
Appears in: This weapon is an internet hoax, but I have included it as a "what-if."
The site for “Birdman Weapon Systems” used to
could be seen at http://www.birdman.org.
Notes: The M-82B1K-PDW is a drastically chopped version of the Barrett M-82 heavy sniper rifle, with a barrel about 1/10th the
length of the standard Barrett M-82A1, a shortened, sliding stock, an M-16A2-style pistol grip front and back, and a different muzzle
brake. It received some acceptance from special operations communities, who value it for its ability as a close assault weapon able to
shoot through walls, doors, and armor, but most buyers were exotic weapons collectors and heavy-caliber firearm enthusiasts.
M-82B1K-PDW .50 Browning Machinegun 9.73 kg 5,10 $8657

M-82B1K-PDW SA 7 2-3-4 5/6 4 Nil 15

Charlton Machinegun
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Appears in: A perceived need for large amounts for automatic weapons rather than bolt-action rifles.
Notes: This odd weapon was the result of a need to arm New Zealand’s World War 2 Home Guard with automatic weapons in a
hurry, while allowing more modern weapons to be put into the hands of the actual New Zealander troops.
After the Japanese takeover
of Singapore and the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was felt that it was only a matter of time before the Japanese went after Australia and
New Zealand, and New Zealand had an acute shortage of small arms of all kinds.
Philip Charlton actually began his work before World War 2; he had seen the engineering drawings of the work of GT Buckham and
AT Dawson in England for their conversion of Lee-Enfield-type rifles to semiautomatic, and decided to improve on their work and
come up with semiautomatic conversion of his own.
Then he took it one step further, converting the Lee-Enfield into a selective-fire
weapon. The resulting Charlton Machinegun was actually an incredible piece of engineering; the even more incredible part was that
the conversion not only worked, it worked quite well. The Lee-Enfield was converted from a bolt-action rifle to a gas-operated
selective fire weapon (with an extremely low automatic cyclic rate of only 250 rpm), though it took until 1941 before Charlton was
ready for full-scale conversion work.
He expected to be able to convert 200 Lee-Enfields per month; the actual rate of conversion was
considerably lower, however.
Only 1500 such conversions were actually accomplished by the end of World War 2; this was mostly
because Charlton was also tasked with the production of the higher-priority Owen submachinegun.
Other changes went into the stock, which was given a pistol grip as well as a foregrip, in addition, the buttstock was modified
slightly (the stock had to be lowered to clear the modified action), the rear third of the barrel was given cooling fins, sights were
modified, and the magazine well was changed to take a modified Bren magazine was well as being still able to use a Lee-Enfield
magazine.
The fore-end was also shortened to allow more cooling of the barrel and fit the gas operation, with the foregrip being
attached to the gas tube shroud.
Barrel length was also slightly modified, and the barrel was also tipped with a muzzle brake. The
Charlton Machinegun could not take a bayonet, but a clip-on bipod could be added.
After World War 2, the Charlton Machineguns were stored in a New Zealand military armory, without any of them having seen any
actual combat.
In the late 1940s, that armory burned to the ground, with less than 200 of the Charlton Machineguns surviving the fire.
These were used for some years for training purposes, and then most of them were destroyed. Today, very few of them are still
around, and most of those are in museums.
Twilight 2000 Notes (sort of): The Charlton Machinegun illustrates what sort of expedient weapons could be made during the
Twilight War; it also shows that virtually any sort of small arm can be made over into an automatic or selective-fire weapon, given
enough work. This is the sort of “Frankenweapon” I would imagine would crop up all over the world in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Charlton Machinegun .303 British 7.03 kg 10, 30 $2090

Charlton Machinegun 3 4 2-3-Nil 8 3 4 86

Garand T-31
Appears in:
Experiments to replace standard military rifle after World War II.
Notes: John Browning's entry into the US Battle Rifle competition as well as his last attempt at full weapons design was the T-28, a
bullpup rifle that most rejected out of hand as being "too weird." It is sort of a mix between an M-14 and a British EM-2, in its ideas of
functioning. The rifle, other than it's "weirdness," suffered from a problematic gas piston system that took much time and effort to
troubleshoot (not before some spectacular gas block and barrel burstings, unfortunately). The design was well done out, with a
straight in line recoil line between the muzzle and shoulder. The weapon also looked delicate, though it was surprisingly strong.
The
24-inch barrel was tipped by a muzzle brake (the bursting problems genesis were the interacting between the muzzle brake and gas
block). The T-31 also had a problem all early bullpups faced -- the ejection port was close to the shooter's face and the rifle was very
much right-handed only.
However, center of gravity and therefore balance were excellent.
T-31 7.62mm NATO 3.95 kg 10, 20 $1089

T-31 5 4 2-3-Nil 6 3 8 73

ISA Rail Gun Rifle
Country or Origin: US (originally a private venture).
Appears in: Several of the later Dale Brown books, including
Warrior Class.
Fictional Notes: This weapon, probably developed by Dr. Jon Masters’ company of Sky Masters, is a radical departure and
advance over present-day firearms.
Those who are familiar with the original
Traveller RPG will recognize it immediately as an early
version of the Gauss Rifle, a firearm that does not use chemical propellants to fire its rounds, but instead uses a charge of
electromagnetism, similar to the manner in which a mag-lev train moves.
This causes the round to move at extremely high velocity,
and be very destructive. This also means that the entire round can be fired out of the barrel, with no cases remaining and allowing for
a larger bullet. And the bullets fired by the rail gun rifle are huge – about as large as a modest-sized cigar. The rail gun rifle is large
(over six feet long) and heavy, and one really needs the augmentation of a BERP suit (more on this, one of these days…) to handle it
in a fluid combat situation, but it also makes a really good antimaterial rifle or sniper’s weapon. The magazines themselves weigh 2.45
kilograms, and include a battery pack to power the rifle’s electromagnets; a single round weighs 26.5 grams. The weapon normally
uses the sensors in the helmet of the BERP suit, but a special electronic sight may also be added, similar to that on an OICW.
These guns were originally designed for use by the US ISA (Intelligence Support
Agency) for use in their support of the CIA and
military’s operations.
There are probably less than 20 in the world, total.
Rail Gun Rifle 15x75mm ISA-Masters 38.2 kg 10 $39,460

Rail Gun Rifle SA 21 2-2-2* 14 4 Nil 507
Rail Gun Rifle (Bipod) SA 21 2-2-2* 14 2 Nil 658
*Penetration against vehicles (armored or otherwise) or other structures is 10/9/7/5.

Madsen LAR m/62
Country of Origin: Denmark
Appears in: An attempt by Madsen to produce a battle/assault rifle for domestic use and export, in the late 1950s.
Notes:
After World War 2, the firm of Madsen tried to enter the NATO rifle competition with the m/62 (also known as the LAR, Light
Automatic Rifle, or Madsen A-Carbine). The m/62 was a very high-quality weapon with gas operation similar to that of the FN FAL
(though developed independently) and a rotating bolt.
The original versions had no muzzle device except for being shaped to allow
the use of the rifle grenades of the period.
The receiver was of advanced construction for the period, being made from high-strength
aluminum alloy. The bore, chamber, and part of the gas system were chrome-plated.
The 20.6-inch barrel was free-floating,
something quite unusual in a rifle meant for general use. The pistol grip handguard were made from wood, while the barrel shroud
was of ventilated sheet steel. The m/62 was originally designed with a folding steel-strut stock with a folding buttplate which folded to
the side; versions were also designed with fixed wood stocks, sliding steel stocks, and fixed tubular metal stocks.
The m/62 could
accept standard Danish bayonets of the period as well as a new bayonet designed for it, and also had a detachable bayonet which
clipped to the bayonet scabbard when not in use.
Sights are simple aperture and post sights, with the rear aperture sight being
adjustable and able to be flipped up or down.
The front sight post was protected by a ring.
The m/62 had a straight-line configuration,
which made high-mounted sights necessary, but reduced felt recoil.
A muzzle brake was also designed for the m/62 for testing
purposes, but Madsen decided it wouldn’t be used on future production weapons since the brake made it impossible to use the rifle
grenades of the period.
The m/62 was originally designed to fire the new (at the time) 7.62mm NATO round, using a proprietary 20-round magazine.
However, in an effort to attract Finnish customers (who were looking for a new infantry weapon at the time), they designed a version
firing 7.62mm Kalashnikov ammunition and able to accept standard AK-47, AKM and RPK-type magazines.
The muzzle was re-
designed to accept the types of rifle grenades the Finns used at the time. (None were supplied with muzzle brakes.) The Finns
actually seriously considered adopting the m/62, and a version with the side-folding stock went through operational testing in small
numbers in Finland in 1960. In the end, however, they elected to go with their own version of the AKM.
Unfortunately, the m/62 was essentially a victim of the market forces of its time – first prototypes appeared in 1957, and Madsen
did not consider the m/62 market-ready until 1962. By this time, it faced fierce competition from other NATO 7.62mm weapons –
especially from the FAL, G-3, and CETME all of which had already been on the international market for several years. Madsen
realized the m/62 was never going to turn a profit.
Despite rumors of its use by some special operations and mercenary units, it was
never officially used anywhere.
Despite this, reports of its use surfaced here and there in the world for several decades, always in
very small numbers.
Despite the high quality, uncomplicated design, and reliability of the m/62, it never got a toehold in the
international marketplace, and Madsen abandoned sales attempts in 1965.
Note that on the combat portion of the tables below, the 7.62mm NATO versions with folding and sliding stocks are identical for
game purposes, and the versions with fixed wooden and metal stocks are identical for game purposes.
m/62 (Folding Stock) 7.62mm NATO 4.64 kg 20 $1555
m/62 (Folding Stock, w/Brake) 7.62mm NATO7 4.84 kg 20 $1605
m/62 (Sliding Stock) 7.62mm NATO 4.54 kg 20 $1539
m/62 (Sliding Stock, w/Brake) 7.62mm NATO 4.74 kg 20 $1589
m/62 (Fixed Wooden Stock) 7.62mm NATO 4.83 kg 20 $1530
m/62 (Fixed Wooden Stock, w/Brake) 7.62mm NATO 5.03 kg 20 $1580
m/62 (Fixed Metal Stock) 7.62mm NATO 4.74 kg 20 $1543
m/62 (Fixed Metal Stock, w/Brake) 7.62mm NATO 4.94 kg 20 $1593
m/62 7.62mm Kalashnikov 4.33 kg 30, 75 Drum $1373

m/62 (Folding) 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/7 3 9 67
With Bipod 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/7 2 4 88
m/62 (Folding, Brake) 5 4 2-3-Nil 6/7 3 8 67
With Bipod 5 4 2-3-Nil 6/7 2 4 88
m/62 (Fixed) 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 3 9 67
With Bipod 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 2 4 88
m/62 (Fixed, Brake) 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 3 8 67
With Bipod 5 4 2-3-Nil 7 2 4 88
m/62 (7.62mm Kalashnikov) 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/7 4 9 64
With Bipod 5 4 2-3-Nil 5/7 2 4 83

Rukavishnikov SVR-38
Country of Origin: Soviet Union
Appears in: Attempts by the Soviet Union to increase their troops’ firepower by producing a semiautomatic or automatic battle rifle.
Notes: This was a competitor to rifles like the AVS-36 and SVT-38/40.
The rifle developed by Rukavishnikov was well-made, with
machined steel parts, a pistol grip stock, a wooden handguard, and sheet-steel protectors over the gas system. The testing
authorities criticized the SVR-38 as unwieldy and cumbersome; however, the real strike against the rifle seems to have been the cost
and time it took to manufacture, despite the quality of the weapon.
As a result, the SVR-38 was rejected after only 5 rifles were built.
It remains an interesting rifle, though.
SVR-38 7.62mm Nagant 4.45 kg 15, 20 $1098

SVR-38 SA 4 2-3-Nil 7 4 Nil 79

Springfield T-20E2 Garand
Country of Origin: US (But see below).
Appears in: Experiment by Springfield to produce a shorter M-1 Garand (but see below).
Notes: The T-20E2 was to be a selective-fire variant of the M-1 Garand battle rifle.
The genesis of the T-20E2 began in September
of 1944; at that time, preparations were being made for an invasion of Japan (and the Manhattan Project was still a well-kept secret).
Springfield Armory first responded with the T-20 (with the modifications designed by John Garand himself), but it was essentially a
technical mess that had mechanical problems as well as excessive recoil, extreme heating of the barrel (which was uncomfortable for
the shooter during sustained fire even through the wooden handguard), and later, a muzzle brake which prevented the use of a
bayonet or rifle grenade launcher attachment.
Needless to say, it was not accepted by the War Department, but it did serve to teach
Springfield some valuable lessons of how
not to go about the conversion.
Remington was also asked by the War Department to submit its own modified M-1 Garand, which was designated the T-22, T-23,
and T-24.
The T-23 and T-24 were essentially meant to prove that the idea of converting the M-1 to selective fire was possible; the T-
22 was the version that Remington actually carried to (nearly) full development.
Like the T-20, it was fed by a modified BAR
magazine, and it also encountered the same feed problems as the T-20 (later traced to the modifications made to the BAR
magazines).
The T-22 was actually a reasonably-viable design; with a little more work, it could have been the needed selective-fire
version of the M-1.
Remington’s biggest problem was actually with the War Department; they essentially wanted an unrealistically
light weapon with unrealistically low felt recoil and unrealistically few modifications of the standard M-1 (to make production easier and
allow rebuilding of existing M-1s); the War Department’s expectations essentially made Remington’s task impossible.
(Ironically, a few
months later, with the projected invasion of Japan looming ever larger, the T-22 would probably have been accepted.)
Springfield’s work on the T-20, along with shared experience from Remington gained from their T-22, led them to the T-20E1. The
operating system was vastly simplified, yet still quite similar to that of the standard M-1 Garand. Springfield also solved (for the most
part) the barrel heat problem with a pair of simple heat flow arresting grooves cut into the barrel at the chamber, allowing heat to
disperse far more evenly. Though at first the T-20E1 used the same modified BAR magazine, new purpose-designed magazines
were eventually used instead, once the feed problems had been traced to the modified BAR magazine. A folding bipod (not designed
for removal in the field) was added at the gas cylinder. The T-20E1 was almost right; Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Springfield
suggested several changes, which would lead to the definitive T-20E2 version.
The T-20E2 version differed primarily in the use of a slightly-modified receiver, an improved feeding and extraction mechanism, a
muzzle brake which also allowed the attachment of a rifle grenade launcher and a bayonet, drilling and tapping for a telescopic sight, a
modified bipod (still not field-detachable), a more ergonomic magazine release, and a few other small changes.
The only problem the
War Department had with the T-20E2 had was the weight of a fully-loaded T-20E2, and they decided to ignore that.
The T-20E2 was
therefore deemed ready for limited production in May 1945.
Unfortunately, by the time tooling-up was completed, it was literally days before the atomic bombing Hiroshima. Suddenly, the T-
20E2 was no longer considered such a priority, and funds to produce the T-20E2 basically dried up and blew away. Almost no T-
20E2s were built in their final form, and apart from about 5 of those and the prototypes, no other T-20E2s were built.
All that work proved not to be in vain, however. Springfield continued tinkering with the T-20E2, even developing a prototype
chambered for the 7.62mm T-65 cartridge (which later became the 7.62mm NATO cartridge). Most of this work helped or directly led
to the M-14 battle rifle, which the US military adopted in 1957.
T-20E2 .30-06 Springfield 4.37 kg 20 $1842

T-20E2 5 4 2-3-Nil 8 3 8 70
With Bipod 5 4 2-3-Nil 8 2 4 90

Springfield T-26 “Tanker” Garand
Notes: The first thing I want to say in this entry is there is no such thing as a Tanker Garand.

Now that I’ve probably confused you, considering the title of this section, let’s get to the meat.
The T-26 was in fact never called
the “Tanker” Garand, and was never intended to arm tank crews or any sort of vehicle crews.
The “Tanker” appellation was a
marketing ploy that was used much later (more on that below). I used the name in the title of this entry simply because it is the name
that this variation of the Garand is best known by, even though it is inaccurate.
The T-26 was originally the result of two ideas that gelled together: a smaller, carbine version of the M-1 Garand for use by
airborne troops, and a shorter, easier to handle Garand for use by US Marines and Army troops in the thick jungles of the Pacific. The
test rifles were modified from existing M-1 Garands, and most sources say that only three such conversions were made.
One is in the
Springfield Armory’s museum, one was re-made into a standard M-1 Garand and issued back out to some unknown soldier, and the
other was reportedly destroyed during testing at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
The modified rifles had shortened 18-inch barrels and a
gas system modified for the shorter barrel length.
The results were unsatisfactory: a muzzle that spouted a blinding gout flame two
feet long, markedly greater recoil, and of course, less accuracy.
That said, it is relatively easy to find a “Tanker Garand” for sale these days.
And they’re all fakes.
(The “Tanker” name was coined
in the 1950s by some arms dealer that thought it would improve sales – and it did.)
Some are stocked, some have pistol grips, some
have folding stocks – but they’re all fake, every one of them.
If you’ve ever bought a “genuine Tanker Garand” or something like that,
you’ve been taken, and you go to the gun dealer who sold it to you and give him a solid butt stroke to the chin with butt of that fake
Tanker Garand.
The only genuine T-26 is in Springfield’s museum, it’s priceless, and they’re not giving it up.
A related version of the T-26 is the M-1E5; this one almost made to production.
This is a standard-length Garand, but the stock
behind the receiver is replaced by a simple tubular metal folding stock.
This was designed for use by paratroopers and vehicle crews
in anticipation of the Operation Overload landings.
The mechanism, as is virtually the entire forward version of the rifle, is basically a
T-26. After testing at Aberdeen Proving ground it was deemed unnecessary, something protested by the Airborne and Glider units.
Again, there are only a few, and they have never been sold to anyone.
T-26 .30-06 Springfield 4.13 kg 8 Clip $1182
M-1E5 .30-06 Springfield 3.63 kg 8 Clip $1207

T-26 SA 4 2-3-Nil 7 5 Nil 46
M-1E5 SA 4 2-3-Nil 5/7 5 Nil 46

Winchester Machine Rifle
Appears in: An experimental World War 1-era weapon.
Notes: This weapon, at first designed for use by aircraft crews to destroy the hydrogen-filled balloons of the First World War, has
been described by some as the “first true assault rifle” and the “BAR before the BAR.”
It was developed in 1917 by Frank Burton, who
went on to develop the BAR automatic rifle with John Browning. A ground version was quickly designed to accompany the aircraft
version.
The aircraft and ground versions differed little from each other, with the primary difference being that the aircraft version fired and
was optimized for incendiary ammunition. The design was innovative, with a wooden stock virtually in a straight line from the
shoulder, a pistol grip trigger group with an enlarged trigger guard for use with a gloved hand. The magazine is above the receiver
and angled off from the receiver at 60 degrees; the magazine well actually allowed for two magazines, with one feeding at a time –
after the first is empty, it slides out of place and the second one feeds the weapon.
The safety switch is a simple “second trigger”
below the trigger guard.
This second trigger must be pulled at the same time as the trigger within the trigger guard. Operation was
also novel for the time, being by straight blowback and from an open bolt.
The charging handle is below the receiver.
The recoil
spring is long and extends all the way into the stock.
The fore-end has finger grooves and a ring to mount on an airplane; the 25-inch
barrel is finned for half its length for cooling.
Ejection is downwards. To top off the innovative features of the Winchester Machine
Rifle, the weapon fires the .345 Winchester Self-Loading Rifle cartridge – a true intermediate cartridge made by necking down and
shortening the .351 Winchester Self-Loading Rifle cartridge. The Winchester Machine Rifle was apparently extensively tested as the
Springfield Armory but records of the testing have been lost and the reasons for its not being adopted are not known.
Winchester Machine .345 Winchester Self-Loading 4.54 kg 40 (x2)
Rifle Rifle

Winchester 5 4 2-3-Nil 8 3 8 73
Machine Rifle

3-Barrel 40mm Grenade Launcher
Appears in: This weapon was developed for SEAL use in Vietnam, but was not adopted.
Notes: During 1966-67, the SEALs and other US special operations forces tried several designs in an attempt to increase the
firepower of their grenade launching systems over the M-79. One of these systems, which never received any official designation, was
a triple-barreled grenade launcher designed to be carried under the M-16 and CAR-15. This design used a slide-forward loading
design in a similar manner to the then-experimental underbarrel grenade launcher, the XM-148, but improved to prevent dirt from
entering the mechanism and eliminating the guide bar system of the XM-148. The trigger mount is similar to that of the XM-148,
however. The barrels are shorter than that of the XM-148 or M-79, being only 6 inches, to allow it to fit under the CAR-15 without
projecting beyond the barrel. At least three and as many as five of these launchers were built; one was known to have been sent for
combat testing to Marine Force Recon in Vietnam, while the rest were sent with the SEALs. The firepower was well thought of, but that
was the only thing they liked about the design. The launcher was unwieldy, unbalanced the rifle it was mated to, and the complex firing
mechanism did not stand up to the dirt and mud common in Vietnam. In fact, when the trigger was pulled, there was about a 50/50
chance that the round would not fire. The design remains an interesting, though flawed and failed, attempt to increase firepower.
3-Barrel 40mm 40-46mm Low-Velocity 2.04 kg 3 Internal $456
3-Barrel 40mm SA APERS 2 Nil 43 Nil
SA CHEM 2 Nil 85 357
SA Ferret 2 Nil 85 357
SA Flash-Bang 2 Nil 85 357
SA Flechette 2 Nil 77 Nil
SA HE 2 Nil 85 357
SA HEAT 2 Nil 85 357
SA HEDP 2 Nil 85 357
SA HE Airburst 2 Nil 85 357
SA ILLUM 2 Nil 85 357
SA WP 2 Nil 85 357
Alliant Techsystems XM-25 Airburst Assault Weapon
Appears In: Current US weapons development programs
Notes: Though the XM-25 might be called a "weapon that isn’t – yet," I have included here, for the time, since due to budget
pressures, the XM-25 may never make into service. The XM-25 is a child of the XM-29 OICW – it is the grenade launcher component,
upsized into a weapon using 25mm grenades that are related (but not the same) as those of the XM-307 OCSW. As such, the XM-25
is an advanced, "next-generation" support weapon – and one whose real-life price is quite high. Field testing and deployment dates
have repeatedly slipped and are continuing to do so; currently, no one is really sure when (or if) the XM-25 will become an operational
weapon.
The XM-25 uses an external design similar in appearance to that of the also ill-fated XM-8 assault rifle; it is a smooth, sleek,
lightweight polymer shell. The XM-25 uses a bullpup design instead of the XM-8’s sliding-stock design, with a recoil pad on the
buttplate. Feed is by a polymer 8-round magazine; case ejection may be set up for left or right-handed shooters. Many of the metal
parts are of the XM-25 also made from light alloys, with heavy steel being kept to a minimum (such as the barrel and other high-wear
parts).
Atop the receiver is an advanced target acquisition/fire control sight, incorporating a thermal imager/optical sight (with 2x magnification
for both), powered direct-view optics (called under the Twilight 2000 v2.2 rules an image intensifier), a laser rangefinder, and a
compass. The data that the sight provides is tied together by a ballistic computer; this computer computes a fire solution, sets the
fuzes of the rounds about to be fired, and then presents the information to the shooter on a unified display inside the sight. The
shooter can accept the provided fire solution or modify some or all of it as necessary.
The XM-25 might be simply an advanced, rather small-caliber grenade launcher, were it not for the equally-advanced ammunition fired
by the XM-25. Initially, the XM-25 was to use the same ammunition as the XM-307 OCSW, but due to the higher power of the XM-
307’s ammunition, infighting between Alliant and General Dynamics (working on the XM-307), and repeated delays in the XM-307
itself, a compromise was made. The fuzes of the XM-25 and XM-307 are identical, and the warheads are almost identical (though the
warheads of the XM-25’s ammunition are a little smaller). The case and propelling charge, however, is quite a bit smaller than that of
the XM-307, with a 40mm-long case being used. This drops the velocity (and range) of the XM-25’s ammunition quite a bit (it’s
considered a low-velocity round), but it makes the recoil manageable and still provides the XM-25 about double the effective range of
the M-203.
The fire control system of the XM-25 not only sets the fuze of the grenade’s warhead to explode at the proper range, but also
(depending on the target and warhead) the proper height above the target (in the case of the HEAB or Thermobaric rounds). This
gives the XM-25 the "Airburst" portion of its designation – the grenades are meant to be primarily used to explode above the heads of
their targets, causing the maximum damage to entrenched or exposed troops, soft-skinned troops and materiel. (This is actually still
an ongoing problem with the XM-25 and its ammunition – getting the fire control computer to properly set the fuzes.) The airburst
abilities of the ammunition means that the small 25mm grenade is able to cause damage equal to or greater than the 40x46mm round
currently used by most of the world’s 40mm grenade launchers. The ammunition can also be set for point detonation (on contact with
the target) or point detonation delay (delaying the detonation a few milliseconds, in order to go through a window or doorway) if
desired or if the computer has a glitch or damage and cannot be used. The rounds shown below are those currently being tested; in
addition, two training rounds have also been designed. A flechette round is also possible in the future, though as far as is known, none
have yet actually been built; likewise, a tactical CS round is also possible for the future.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Needless to say, the XM-25 is not a weapon that exists in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
XM-25 25x40mm Low-Velocity 6.35 kg 8 $3410
XM-25 SA HEAB 1 Nil 124 496
SA AP 1 Nil 124 496
SA Thermobaric 1 Nil 124 496
SA CS 1 Nil 124 496
XM-25 Grenade Launcher Ammunition

HEAB (Airburst) 0.13 kg $16 C2 B9 Nil
HEAB (Point Detonation) C2 B14 Nil
AP 0.17 kg $18 C0 B2 23/17/12/6
Thermobaric (Airburst) 0.14 kg $24 C5 B5 9C
Thermobaric (Point Detonation) C8 B5 9C
Flechette 0.08 kg $11 11 1-Nil
CS 0.12 kg $6 C2 (B2) Nil
B-40
Country of Origin: Czech Republic
Appears in: Czech weapons catalogs of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Notes: This Czech grenade launcher is part of a family of weapons, including the B-10 assault rifle, B-20 battle rifle, and B-30 sniper
rifle. Many of the components of this weapon are interchangeable with the B-30, and it is claimed that the weapons may be
interchanged by simply changing the barrel and magazine.
The B-40 and its brethren seem to have been confined largely to arms shows where the designers hoped for sales which pretty much
never happened, and by 2006 it was no longer being offered.
B-40 30mm Russian Medium-Velocity 15.3 kg 5 $810
B-40 5 HE 1 3 140 860
5 HEDP 1 3 140 860
Explosive Scatter Gun
Country of Origin: United States (for Traveller purposes, Aslan)
Appears in: Space Gamer Magazine, in an article by William A. Barton (though I have changed the story considerably).
Fictional Notes: The original article for the Explosive Scatter Gun is a weapon for the original Traveller game, a Tech level 10 weapon
designed by the Aslan for use against armored transports and personnel dressed in heavy battlesuits. However, this weapon can
easily be imagined as something that was come up with by the likes of DARPA or China Lake, for use as a heavy grenade launcher to
attack light armored vehicles, unarmored vehicles, and troops in the open. I have devised special ammunition for it, since the original
weapon is described by Mr. Barton as using Tech level 10-11 RAM grenades; these are essentially higher-tech versions of NATO
40mm HV ammunition.
The XM-192 Explosive Scatter Gun exists only in the Merc 2000 timeline, and not in the Twilight 2000 timeline. It was designed for use
by special operations, airborne, air assault, and Marine units for use as a heavy support weapon; fully-loaded, it is quite a handful, and
while due to its advanced construction materials it is not too heavy, it is a very bulky weapon. It resembles a short rocket launcher,
some 850 millimeters in length, and the barrel cluster some 105 millimeters wide. The XM-192 has a bipod near the muzzle, a forward
handgrip for hip firing (which is a practice that is not recommended when burst firing), and a curved, padded shoulder stock that allows
the weapon to be supported on the shoulder easily. The XM-192 uses 30mm grenades which are rocket-assisted to increase range
and velocity. The weapon is fed by 10-round cassettes; the XM-192 breaks open like a shotgun at the breech of the barrel cluster. Due
to the size of the cassettes, reloading the XM-192 takes 3 combat phases. (A cassette weighs 1 kilogram, plus the weight of the
ammunition within; it costs $10) The "receiver" of the weapon is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail; the normal sight, included in the
cost of the weapon, is an electronic sight similar to that used on the OICW.
The weapon may be fired in one of three ways: semiautomatically, in "half bursts" where half the ammunition in the cassette is fired at
the same time with one pull of the trigger; and a "full burst", in which all the ammunition in the cassette is fired simultaneously with one
pull of the trigger. Though the rocket-assisted ammunition takes up part of the recoil (the rocket fires within a few milliseconds after
leaving the barrel, with a small launching charge actually firing within the barrel), the simple fact is that the recoil is brutal when half
bursts or full bursts are fired. However, the half and full busts can do something a single shot cannot do – open up an armored vehicle
like a can opener. Due to special enhancements to the sight and ammunition, the rounds in a half or full burst will all hit in roughly the
same spot if desired by the gunner; this mode is set by the gunner by flicking a switch before firing the burst. If the gunner scores a hit,
the user of a burst in this precise mode may multiply the penetration what would be a single round by 3 for a half burst, or 6 for a full
burst. If a miss is made in this precise mode, all the rounds fired in the burst miss, and eventually hit the ground at their maximum
effective range, scattering normally. Of course, such precise burst may also be fired at targets other than vehicles; if fired at troops in
the open in this mode, scatter is rolled normally, but the maximum amount of scatter is only 1 meter. Without the precision mode,
shots at troops in the open scatter normally, and shots against armored vehicles and suchlike hit as normal (enhanced by the
electronic sight).
The XM-192, due to the way it fires and its effectiveness, is generally known to troops who use it as the "Splat Gun" or "Can Opener."
XM-192 30x68mm RAM Grenades 5 kg 10 Cassette $2670
Weapon ROF Round SS* Burst* Range IFR
XM-192 1/5/10 APERS 3 6/12 30 Nil
1/5/10 CHEM 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 Flash-Bang 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 Flechette 3 6/12 40 Nil
1/5/10 HE 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 HEAT 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 HEDP 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 HE Airburst 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 ILLUM 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 Thermobaric 3 6/12 230 730
1/5/10 WP 3 6/12 230 730
*Halve recoil (rounded up) and add 20% to the range when used from the bipod.
XM-192 Grenade Launcher Ammunition
APERS 0.12 kg $3 1d6x8 Nil

CHEM 0.23 kg $3/$6/$9 C2 (B1) Nil
Flash-Bang 0.18 kg $5 (C4) Nil
Flechette 0.12 kg $6 1d6x8 1-2-Nil
HE 0.24 kg $5 C2 B11 Nil
HEAT 0.24 kg $9 C1 B9 29C
HEDP 0.24 kg $6 C2 B11 4C
HE Airburst 0.26 kg $9 C3 B14 Nil
ILLUM 0.23 kg $3 (B145) Nil
Thermobaric 0.27 kg $15 C6 B6 14C
WP 0.23 kg $8 C2 B6 Nil
Sarmac Falconet
Appears in: Various weapons literature of the early-to-mid-1980s.
Notes: The Falconet was conceived in the late 1970s as a special assault and defensive weapon for infantrymen. Designed by the
likes of Francois Brandt (son of Edgar Brandt, that genius of mortar design), the Falconet appears to not have achieved any sales
beyond demonstrators, nor employment in even small numbers (or possibly any numbers whatsoever).
Relatively light in weight, the Falconet employed small-caliber grenades of only 24mm in diameter, two types of grenades were
contemplated, an offensive grenade with an HEDP warhead and a defensive grenade packed with 12 heavy tungsten flechettes. The
grenades were to have been stabilized by fins and by the distribution of weight in the grenade. Operation was by blowback, employing
a reciprocating barrel to help absorb recoil as well as a multi-baffle muzzle brake. (Its straight-line profile also helped in this respect.)
For carry purposes, the barrel can also be telescoped back to the muzzle brake to provide a more compact package (though it cannot
be fired in this configuration). Magazines were to be of light alloy, and coincidentally appeared similar to those of the later Barrett M-82
series. Leaf-type iron sights were to be standard, though a mount for optical sights was provided; the Falconet was intended to be a
relatively direct-fire weapon.
Twilight 2000 Notes: The Falconet was employed in small numbers by Swiss and Austrian units; some captured examples were also
deployed by other countries, the reports say that NATO special operations units were using them as far away as the Middle East.
Merc 2000 Notes: The Falconet suffered the same fate as it did in real life.
Falconet 24mm Medium-Velocity 6 kg 5 $1682
Falconet SA HEDP 1 Nil 140 840
*A Falconet normally has a Bulk of 7. In its folded configuration, it has a bulk of 6, but it cannot be fired when folded.
Falconet Grenade Launcher Ammunition
HEDP 0.15 kg $2 C1 B6 17C
Flechette 0.07 kg $3 2D6x12 1-1-Nil*
*Penetration of the flechettes against vehicles is 1/1/0/0.

AWS 1911 Machine Pistol
Appears in: Abortive (so far) attempt to produce a PDW in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Country of Origin: Philippines
Notes: The Elisco Tool Company was started in 1980 to produce the M-16 assault rifle under license from Colt. In 1988, several
Filipino agencies (mostly police units) who had read the book
Rimfire Battle Guns by JM Ramos approached Elisco to produce
something even more ambitious – a fully automatic version of the M-1911A1. Wheels turned slowly, but eventually AWS (Automatic
Weapon Systems) bought out Elisco and in 1992, Gene Cordero of AWS finally began the design work with help from Ramos, which
resulted in functioning prototypes in 1994.
There were several stumbling blocks in the prototypes’ design.
Perhaps the worst was the massive recoil of the .45 ACP cartridge
coupled with the request for the absence of the usual remedy for this problem, a large muzzle brake. (Eventually, a compensated
barrel was used.) An additional problem was the lack of magazine capacity of the M-1911A1; even with modified double-stack
magazines, and along with the initial prototypes’ cyclic rate of 1000 RPM, meant that magazines would be emptied in a split second.
Design started over (partially) using Para-Ordnance frame kits, with their higher magazine capacities. A rate reducer along with a
special trigger module was tried, with unsatisfactory results; then a burst limiting mechanism was decided upon.
A forward-folding
foregrip was added. (The locking mechanism for the foregrip is essentially like a miniature bicycle kickstand). Ramos and Cordero had
a viable machine pistol, and decided to chamber it in three calibers, though a .40 Smith & Wesson version was designed that never
made it off the drawing board.
Then AWS started to go belly up, and then failed entirely.
The project ended at that point, unfortunately.
That is too bad, because
the weapon sounds interesting, and has some merit as a small, concealable PDW. Ramos is still reportedly trying to get the project
going again with different companies, shopping the design around.
It should be noted that the weight and barrel length (5 inches) I based these stats on are conjecture. I have not been able to find
solid information on these points.
AWS 1911 .45 ACP 1.1 kg 14 $458
AWS-1911 .40 Smith & Wesson 1.1 kg 16 $361
AWS 1911 .38 Super 1.1 kg 19 $335
AWS-1911 9mm Parabellum 1.1 kg 19 $299

AWS 1911 (.45) 3 2 Nil 1 2 3 14
AWS 1911 (.40) 3 2 1-Nil 1 2 3 16
AWS 1911 (.38) 3 2 1-Nil 1 2 3 14
AWS 1911 (9mm) 3 1 Nil 1 2 3 13

Birdman Weapon Systems BWS M-82B1-P
Appears in: This weapon is an internet hoax, but I have included it as a "what-if."
The site for “Birdman Weapon Systems” could be
seen at
http://www.birdman.org, but this site is now defunct.
Fictional Notes: This weapon began life as a Barrett M-82 heavy sniper rifle, but has been drastically modified into a heavy pistol,
for use as a close assault weapon. In this version, the stock is removed, and the barrel chopped to little over 1/10th its normal length,
with a different style muzzle brake added, along with a pistol grip modified from the M-16A2 assault rifle. The result is a pistol unlike
any other, firing a massive cartridge for excellent short-range firepower. This pistol was tested by US Special Forces, and by several
police departments, but found most acceptance only with survivalists and exotic weapon collectors.
BWS M-82B1-P .50 Browning Machinegun 7.35 kg 10 $8595

M-82B1-P SA 7 2-3-4 4 3 Nil 9

Colt M-1911A1 in 7.62mm Tokarev
Appears in: A rare war trophy from the Vietnam War
Country of Origin: Vietnam
Notes: This weird war trophy was brought back by an unnamed US GI from the Vietnam War.
Whether it is unique or not is not
known; it is, however, the only one captured and brought back from Vietnam.
This interesting M-1911A1 variant was captured from a
dead Viet Cong guerilla; it was probably converted to 7.62mm Tokarev because that round was the most common pistol cartridge in
Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces, and .45 ACP could be difficult for them to get.
The North Vietnamese were well known for
converting a number of weapons chambered for other pistol rounds to fire the 7.62mm Tokarev round.
This pistol was eventually
donated to a museum in the late 1970s.
The caliber conversion is not the best work in the world, but was obviously not done in the usual crude manner of most Viet Cong
caliber conversions, and may have actually been done for them by the North Vietnamese.
The work appears to have been done in a
well-supplied machine shop, and was done with metric tools. Conversion required a lot of work; the barrel was given a permanent
barrel sleeve to accommodate the smaller caliber and a smaller bolt face was machined into the slide after a block of metal was
welded to the slide face The ejection port was enlarged to allow proper ejection of the longer 7.62mm Tokarev round; this meant that
part of engagement surface for the rear locking lug was removed, leaving that rear locking lug nothing to lock against.
This does
reduce the safety margin of firing the pistol, though the pistol does seem to fire without a problem.
The grip was modified to take a TT-
33 Tokarev magazine, primarily by filing away the front of the magazine well; this makes the front of the grip frame quite thin.
Exactly what the story of this strange conversion is unknown; it seems like a lot of work was done to convert this M-1911A1 to
7.62mm Tokarev, and whether the Viet Cong guerilla thought it was worth it is also unknown.
Why the North Vietnamese would do
this much work to convert a weapon is another mystery, as is whether or not they converted any other M-1911A1s in the same
manner.
Twilight 2000 Notes: I can imagine that this sort of thing might happen a lot in the Twilight 2000 timeline, due to lack of proper
ammunition or some other screwy reason.
I personally think such “Frankenweapons” would be fairly common in the Twilight 2000
world.
Modified M-1911A1 7.62mm Tokarev 1 kg 8 $241

Modified M-1911A1 SA 1 Nil 1 3 Nil 9

Colt OHWS
Appears In: US SOCOM OHWS competition, which started in the late-1980s; this was just one of the finalists.
Notes: The Colt OHWS (Offensive Handgun Weapons System) was designed to compete for US SOCOM’s need for a new
handgun to fulfill both a defensive and offensive role.
Though this competition was eventually won by Heckler & Koch’s Mk 23, the
Colt entry remains an interesting look at H&K’s primary competition in that arena.
The Colt OHWS was designed from the start to fire .45 ACP ammunition; moreover, it was capable of firing virtually any sort of .45
ACP ammunition ever designed, from sub-loaded heavy-bullet designs to extremely hot-loaded wildcat versions of the .45 ACP. (In
fact, SOCOM indicated at the time that they intended the primary round for the OHWS to be a then-new version of a .45 ACP +P
round, with standard .45 ACP ball to be used when a silencer was attached.)
Since none of Colt’s pistols (including the M-1911A1) were capable of handling a steady diet of +P ammunition, and it was felt that
modifying the M-1911A1 to meet SOCOM’s needs would be more expensive than to design a new pistol from scratch, that’s what Colt
did. Essentially, the Colt OHWS became a melding of the Colt M-1911A1, All-American 2000, Double Eagle, and many entirely new
ideas. (Most of SOCOM’s requirements were already present in at least one of those three designs, and they just needed to be
blended together.)
Instead of using the Browning locking system, Colt used a variant of the All-American 2000’s Stoner-designed rotating barrel
locking system.
The rotating barrel locking system is perhaps the strongest locking system ever designed for a handgun; it does
however require a wider slide and much tighter tolerances (making the pistol less tolerant to dirt) than any other handgun locking
system. In addition to its strength, it also has the side benefit of reducing recoil somewhat; in addition, recoil becomes more of a
“push” than a “thump.”
The heavy steel frame was modified from that of the M-1911A1, and is mostly machined instead of stamped.
The slide of the Colt OHWS was also made of heavy steel (stainless steel in this case), and was designed from scratch.
The firing
mechanism was a modified M-1911A1 Series 80 mechanism, though the trigger was adjustable for weight of pull, length of pull, and
length of reach. Controls were also made ambidextrous. Operation was double-action (with a decocker), and the hammer was of the
Commander-type, both modified from the Double Eagle. A slide lock was also added, to stop cycling of the slide and mechanism in
cases where this would be too loud.
Since a single-column magazine (at the time) was more reliable in a handgun than a double-column magazine, Colt decided to use
a single-column 10-round magazine.
(Standard M-1911A1 magazines will not fit in a Colt OHWS, though a Colt OHWS magazine will
fit into an M-1911A1, with the end projecting from the pistol grip.) Another problem Colt faced was putting a detachable silencer and a
detachable muzzle brake onto the rotating barrel. Therefore, they designed both a silencer and a muzzle brake which attach to the
frame rather than the barrel itself, using an extension rail and a toggle switch.
The silencer actually fits over the muzzle brake, and
cannot be attached without the muzzle brake in place. Various other modifications were made to improve the reliability and smooth
operation of the Colt OHWS, plus touches like a rail under the dust cover for accessories, micrometer-adjustable rear sights, and
some other things that SOCOM asked for.
In testing by SOCOM, a number of problems were found that would eventually lead to the rejection of the Colt OHWS. The Colt
OHWS was felt to be too heavy, as well as being too tall due to its single-column magazine. The rail under the dust cover was too
proprietary, allowing only certain accessories to be used without a special interface.
The barrel (though not the locking system itself)
turned out to be not durable enough when firing a lot of +P ammunition.
In addition, the entire pistol’s design was very complicated
and difficult to strip and care for.
Just to add the icing to the whole rotten cake, Colt was in great financial chaos at the time; the Colt OHWS was one product that
was extremely expensive.
Though modifications were made to correct the barrel failure problem and some other issues, it caused
Colt even more unneeded expense, and SOCOM was leery of a company in such dire financial straits.
The H&K entry was also,
unfortunately, a superior weapon in almost all areas. The Colt OHWS was doomed, and became another interesting failed weapon.
Colt OHWS .45 ACP and .45 ACP +P 1.59 kg 10 $411
Colt OHWS (w/Brake) .45 ACP and .45 ACP +P 1.69 kg 10 $461
Colt OHWS (w/Silencer) .45 ACP 2 kg 10 $588

Colt OHWS (.45 ACP) SA 2 Nil 1 2 Nil 14
Colt OHWS (.45 ACP +P) SA 2 1-Nil 1 2 Nil 17
Colt OHWS (.45 ACP, Brake) SA 2 Nil 1 1 Nil 14
Colt OHWS (.45 ACP +P, Brake) SA 2 1-Nil 1 1 Nil 17
Colt OHWS (.45 ACP, Silencer) SA 2 Nil 3 2 Nil 12

Colt SCAMP
Appears in: Experiments to increase the firepower of the pistol in the late 1960s.
Notes:
At the end of the 1960s, a lot of rumors were going around the firearms industry that the US Army was looking for a
replacement for the M-1911A1.
(I’m not sure if they were simply rumors at this time, or these were the first inklings of the idea that led
to the M-9.)
Since Colt had been supplying the US military’s standard sidearm for what was then about 50 years, it was natural for
Colt to feel that the US Army would come to them first – and that the Army might be open to replace some of the M-1911A1s with
something completely different.
In addition, such a pistol would be ideal as a defensive weapon for aircrews, and as an offensive
handgun for special operations and other covert personnel. At about the same time period, the concept of a PDW (Personal Defense
Weapon) was emerging.
The result was the SCAMP (Small CAliber Machine Pistol).
The SCAMP was a burst-firing machine pistol firing a high-powered .22-caliber round (similar in concept to the M-16 series). The
round used was a heavily-modified .22 Hornet, with a rather large propellant load. The SCAMP was built largely of stainless steel,
though the receiver and some other parts (such as the grip panels) were made of high-impact plastic reinforced with glass fiber.
The
SCAMP was a bit large and heavy, but not much more than the M-1911A1, and could easily put rounds of reasonable power (for a
pistol) downrange far quicker than the M-1911A1, making it useful for suppressive fire as well as aimed fire. The 7-inch barrel was
tipped with compensating slots to help mitigate recoil.
The cyclic rate of fire was extremely high at 1500 rpm, so Colt engineers used
a 3-round burst mechanism to prevent wasteful (and inaccurate) automatic fire. In both semiautomatic and automatic modes, the
trigger pull was light and smooth, and the SCAMP is said to have been easy to fire accurately.
The SCAMP, however, was a victim of bad timing.
Colt was ready for production in 1972; though the military was reportedly quite
impressed by the SCAMP, the long and expensive war in Vietnam meant that there wasn’t any funding for the SCAMP or any other
large acquisitions of new small arms. In addition, the round the SCAMP fired was proprietary, something that would cause all sorts of
supply chain headaches and require even more expense.
These factors meant that the promising SCAMP never went far beyond the
prototype phase, and only 12 SCAMPs were ever built.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Production was picked up again in 1993 after clamoring by US pilots for a more lethal weapon after they were
shot down.
It was then picked by special operations aircrews as a sidearm, and by CIA and DIA personnel as concealable automatic
weapon.
Merc 2000 Notes: 11 of the prototypes are accounted for, but one is missing and was last used in a bank robbery in December of
2002.
SCAMP .22 SCAMP 1.38 kg 27 $628

SCAMP 3 2 1-1-Nil 2 2 3 17

Dardick
Appears in: An experimental/limited production weapon designed in the late 1950s by David Dardick.
Notes: This unusual revolver design featured an open cylinder (i.e., the chambers are open to the outside of the cylinder) and a
modified type of round known as a “Tround” (triangular round). The name of Tround was applied because while the bullet and the
stub casing containing the primer are made of conventional metals, the rest of the “casing” is a short polycarbonate rod with a
triangular cross-section.
Though using a revolving cylinder, the Dardick is in fact a type of semiautomatic pistol, being fed from a
magazine and the cylinder only a device to feed the rounds into the firing mechanism.
While the standard ammunition for Dardick pistols was its special Trounds, it quickly became apparent that the manufacture of the
Trounds could not keep up with supply. Therefore, reusable “Tround Adapters” were devised; using these, the Dardick was capable of
firing standard .38 Special, .38 Smith & Wesson, .38 Super, and 9mm Parabellum rounds.
The user simply pushed the rounds into
the adapters (it’s a tight fit), and after firing, takes a rod and pushes the spent casings back out of the adapters (also a tough job). In
addition, a special Tround Adapter was made to enable the firing of .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 Long Rifle rounds with the Model
1100; however, this also requires a barrel change (quite easily done).
The grip magazine is not detachable; the Dardick is loaded by
opening the feed door on the left side of the grip and either inserting loose Trounds or using a special stripper clip.
Construction of the grip and frame is in two halves, made from cast aluminum.
While this was not difficult once the manufacturing
equipment was set up, making the molds for those grip/frame halves was tedious and exacting work and
was expensive and time-
consuming.
The cylinder and trigger unit was sort of a Rube Goldberg-type nightmare, requiring over 50 parts and requiring much
precision machining and hand fitting; in addition, many of the parts were quite small (even tiny in some cases).
The
grip/frame/cylinder/trigger combination was reportedly quite fragile.
The barrels were made from steel, and were basically
conventional; sights were basically notch-and-blade types, though they were unusually high.
Three models of the Dardick were built,
each with different magazine sizes; those magazine capacities were fairly high for the time, as it turned out that Trounds stack quite
well in a magazine.
A carbine conversion kit was also available for use with the Model 1500 (when used with .22 Rimfire ammunition);
the Dardick’s barrel was removed and the rest of the pistol put into the CCU.
(Though described as a carbine conversion unit, the
barrel length of 23.5-inch barrel is more rifle-length.)
This unit is also extremely rare.
All this meant that the Dardick was an expensive weapon to produce and buy.
Add to that the unusual ammunition, and the result
is that less than 100 were built (mostly Model 1500s). The Model 1100 is extremely rare, and the Model 2000 is rarely seen and may
have only existed in prototype form. The lack of sales led David Dardick to end production in 1960, and in 1962 he sold the design to
Numrich Arms. Numrich Arms attempted to modify the Trounds to be based upon 9mm Parabellum bullets and stub cases, but the
results were unsatisfying, and the bosses at Numrich were reticent to fire many Trounds through the remaining Dardicks due to their
high collector value. Numrich later sold the design to the Gun Parts Corporation; while they have not done anything with the design,
they still have a large number of parts for the Dardick in their inventory, as well as Tround Adapters and even some actual Tround
ammunition.
Dardick M-1100 (3” Barrel) .38 Dardick, 9mm Parabellum, 0.91 kg 11 Clip $314
.38 Smith & Wesson, .38
Special, .38 Special
Dardick M-1100 (3” Barrel) .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Long 0.84 kg 11 Clip $289
Rifle
Rifle
Rifle
Rifle
Dardick M-1500 w/CCU .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Long 1.97 kg 15 Clip $420
Rifle

Dardick M-1100 (3”, .38 Dardick) SA 2 Nil 1 3 Nil 5
Dardick M-1100 (3”, 9mm) SA 1 Nil 1 3 Nil 6
Dardick M-1100 (3”, .38 S&W) SA 1 Nil 1 3 Nil 6
Dardick M-1100 (3”, .38 Special) SA 1 Nil 1 3 Nil 4
Dardick M-1100 (3”, .38 Super) SA 2 Nil 1 3 Nil 7
Dardick M-1100 (3”, .22 Short) SA -2 Nil 1 2 Nil 4
Dardick M-1100 (3”, .22 Long) SA -2 Nil 1 2 Nil 5
Dardick M-1100 (3”, .22 Long Rifle) SA -1 Nil 1 2 Nil 5
Dardick M-1100 (6”, .38 Dardick) SA 3 1-2-Nil 1 3 Nil 14
Dardick M-1100 (6”, .38 Super) SA 3 1-Nil 1 3 Nil 16
Dardick M-1500/CCU (.22 Short) SA -2 Nil 6 1 Nil 39
Dardick M-1500/CCU (.22 Long) SA -1 Nil 6 1 Nil 43
Dardick M-1500/CCU (.22 Long Rifle) SA 1 Nil 6 1 Nil 47

Fletcher Safestop Pistol
Appears In: Custom Modification produced by R "Fuzzy" Fletcher, a noted gun experimenter
Country or Origin: US
Notes: R "Fuzzy" Fletcher designed this pistol when experimenting with .38 Magnum rounds in a 1911-type pistol. As far as I
know, it is a one-off.
Fuzzy wanted to "scratch an itch" that had existed with him for some time: produce a .45 pistol, preferably a 1911, that could
reproduce the ballistics and stopping power of a .357 Magnum round. After much experimenting and luck, Mr Fletcher arrived at a .45
ACP case necked down to accept a .357 Golden Saber wadcutter bullet.
He used a standard-length 5-inch barrel (suitably down-
sized), and used a 20-pound mainspring and a shock buffer. Mr Fletcher found that the flat-nosed bullet is more likely to dump its
energy into a soft target and unlikely to spin or ricochet. He also benefitted from the experiences of police acquaintances, and a few
FBI acquaintances as well. He also used wadcutters into which he had cut an "X" shape into the flat head.
The barrel is a modified
.38 Super barrel of the same length.
Safestop .38/45 Safestop 1.11 kg 6 $283

Safestop SA 3 1-Nil 1 3 Nil 13

Gallagher Custom Revolvers
Appears in: Custom modification produced by John Gallagher, master weaponsmith
Notes: John Gallagher runs a small custom gunsmithing shop dedicated to making unusual and custom versions of contemporary
firearms, usually based on older designs because in his mind, they are more strongly-built and better able to take custom conversions.
One of these is a modification of the Ruger Single Six (Old Model) in .22 caliber with a 5.5-inch barrel into a .41 Magnum-firing
version with a shorter and handier 4.625-inch barrel. Mr. Gallagher feels that the .41 Magnum is an under-used round which gets little
respect, and therefore is interested in guns which fire this caliber.
The Old Model Single Six is required for this conversion, as the
New Model has a transfer bar safety which does afford the room to open up the loading port enough for the much bigger .41 Magnum
round.
The firing pin is changed to centerfire, and the cylinder, though it remains the same size, now holds only five rounds.
The
flattop frame is left as it is, as is the rear dovetailed sight, while the front sight is changed to a post-type slanting forward and serrated.
Other modifications include a Belt Mountain locking base pin, a trigger tuned to 2.5 pounds of pull, a polished blue finish, and grips of
exotic wood.
Another Gallagher modification is a light pocket pistol based on the New Model Ruger Single Six, and with the caliber changed to
.38 Special.
The barrel is shortened to 3.75 inches and tapered, the ejector rod, housing, and receptacle have all been removed and
replaced by a smaller unshrouded ejector rod, and the front of the frame has been stepped down to further save weight along with the
recoil shield and loading gate.
The hammer is replaced by a Bisley-type hammer, the grips are rounded, smoothed, and re-finished.
The front sight is a small serrated blade, and one of the few parts that project from the weapon.
John Gallagher also rechambered a Smith & Wesson 28-2 Highway Patrolman from .357 Magnum to .45 Long Colt. The barrel for
this modification is cut to 5 inches, bored out to .45 caliber and tapered, refitted with a post-type front sight ramp, and the trigger tuned
to 3 pounds.
This was done at the request of noted revolver guru John Taffin, who wanted a weapon like the Smith & Wesson 1950
target, but in .45 Long Colt.
This modification is designed specifically for semi-wadcutter bullets, but can shoot most other bullets
equally well.
One of John Gallagher’s favorite conversions is Ruger Old Model Blackhawk in .357 Magnum, re-chambered for .44 Special. The
cylinder is replaced by a larger one (and a larger frame window), a 4-inch barrel, and a cut-down ejector rod housing and ejector rod.
The rear sight is a Bowen adjustable sight, while the front sight is a sloping serrated blade. The hammer is taken from an Old Model
Super Blackhawk.
The trigger pull is set at 2.5 pounds.
At one time, Ruger offered the Ruger Maximum Blackhawk, a revolver chambered for the rare .357 Maximum round. It was quickly
dropped from production due to lack of public interest, but John Gallagher has made a modified form of it, firing the equally-exotic .445
SuperMag round.
The original revolver was rechambered for the new round, and a Bisley-type grip frame was fitted, along with a
Bisley-type hammer, trigger, and exotic wood grips. The barrel is a full 10 inches. The rear sight is an adjustable Bowen sight, while
the front is a blade fitted onto a rifle ramp.
The revolver is finished in polished blue, and the trigger is set to 3.625 pounds. Though
the revolver is designed specifically for .445 SuperMag, it will also fire .44 Magnum and .44 Special.
Another Ruger Maximum Blackhawk modification is for .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum.
The cylinder is changed to a 5-shot, and
the revolver has a 5.5-inch octagonal heavy barrel with an integral ramp front sight with a post blade.
The rear sight is a Bowen
adjustable sight.
The grip frame, hammer, and trigger are of the Bisley-type.
The finish is matte blue with a nickel hammer.
Using a New Model Ruger Blackhawk as a base, John Gallagher designed a pistol for varmint hunting.
This is rechambered for
.32-20, has an 8-shot cylinder, and one of several barrel lengths. The finished for the frame is color case-hardened, the grips are
Gallagher custom grips, the rear sight is a Bowen adjustable sight, and the front sight is a post. The combination of a heavy frame
and a light caliber make for a revolver which is very pleasant to shoot.
Twilight 2000 Notes: John Gallagher does most of his work reworking and repairing standard revolvers, but also makes several
custom guns upon request.
Gallagher Single Six .41 Magnum 1.11 kg 5 Cylinder $218
Gallagher Single Six .38 Special 0.74 kg 6 Cylinder $163
Gallagher S&W 28-2 .45 Long Colt 1.23 kg 6 Cylinder $257
Gallagher Blackhawk .44 Special 1.02 kg 6 Cylinder $210
Gallagher Blackhawk (4.5” Barrel) .32-20 Winchester 1.11 kg 6 Cylinder $158
Gallagher Maximum Blackhawk .445 SuperMag, .44 Magnum, and .44 Special 1.41 kg 6 Cylinder $329
Gallagher Maximum Blackhawk .500 S&W Magnum 1.32 kg 5 Cylinder $357

Gallagher Single Six (.41) SAR 3 1-Nil 1 4 Nil 10
Gallagher Single Six (.38) SAR 2 Nil 1 4 Nil 6
Gallagher S&W 28-2 DAR 2 1-Nil 1 5 Nil 11
Gallagher Blackhawk (.44 Special) SAR 2 1-Nil 1 4 Nil 8
Gallagher Blackhawk (4.5”, .32-20) SAR 1 Nil 1 3 Nil 6
Gallagher Blackhawk (6.5”, .32-20) SAR 2 Nil 1 3 Nil 10
Gallagher Blackhawk (7.5”, .32-20) SAR 2 1-Nil 1 3 Nil 12
Gallagher Maximum Blackhawk (.445) SAR 5 1-2-Nil 2 5 Nil 25
Gallagher Maximum Blackhawk (.44 Magnum) SAR 4 1-Nil 2 5 Nil 28
Gallagher Maximum Blackhawk (.44 Special) SAR 2 1-Nil 2 5 Nil 25
Gallagher Maximum Blackhawk (.500) SAR 5 1-2-Nil 2 5 Nil 13

Hecker & Koch G-11 PDW
Appears in: Heckler Koch literature of the early 1980s
Notes: This is a machine pistol designed to use caseless ammunition.
It is not really related to the G-11 assault rifle, other than the
name and its use of caseless ammunition. The G-11 PDW uses a shortened form of the ammunition used by the G-11 (4.7x25mm
Caseless), and is rather a large pistol.
The magazines consist of a 20-round magazine that would sit flush with the grip, and an
extended 40-round magazine. The G-11 PDW was never developed beyond the ammunition and a wooden model, but shows how a
family of weapons evolves. The G-11 PDW was designed to be the machine pistol/PDW version of the G-11 family, used to arm rear-
area troops.
G-11 PDW 4.7mm Caseless Short 1.5 kg 20, 40 $168

G-11 PDW 3 1 Nil 1 2 2 13

Heckler & Koch HK-45
Appears in: Unofficial Heckler & Koch company literature
Notes: Unlike most of the weapons shown here, the HK-45 actually has a chance of existing in production form – possibly in the
near future.
The HK-45 is essentially a highly-modified mix of the USP-45 and P-2000, tailored for the needs of the US military.
It’s
origin is a brainstorming session between two gunsmiths, Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers, both noteworthy custom pistolsmiths.
(Larry Vickers is in fact retired from the US Army Special Forces – and rumored to have been a member of Delta Force, though of
course the Army will
never confirm this.)
Since Larry Vickers now works for the US arm of Heckler & Koch Defense, he was in a
unique position to pitch their development to the company.
The USP-45 and P-2000 both have problems from the military standpoint – the grip angle is bad, balance is a bit off, controls can
be a bit difficult to use from the shooting hand, and the magazine springs of both of them are a bit weak and tend to get weaker when
carried or stored loaded for long periods, leading to feed failures.
Tailoring pistols to the individual mission and/or shooter can easily
correct these problems, but is not practical for a general-issue military weapon. And it is a poorly-kept secret that the US military is
unhappy with the lack of stopping power of the 9mm Parabellum round fired by the M-9, and that it is looking for something firing the
.45 ACP round.
Enter the HK-45. So far, only five advanced prototypes and several less-refined prototypes have been built for evaluation
purposes, but it does look quite promising, both to the US military and to several other countries who are looking for a better pistol for
their special operations units. The grip angle is more ergonomic than the USP-45 or P-2000, and it also comes with interchangeable
backstraps to allow it to fit different-sized hands.
Though designed to use a very light coating of lubricant, it will shoot for a long time
with no lubrication whatsoever, and can even use dry or “wet” lubricant with equal efficiency.
The trigger unit is light, yet not too light,
and yields quick, accurate pulls. The trigger unit can also be exchanged with ones allowing for lighter or heavier pull weights.
(It is
essentially a better-tuned version of the USP’s trigger unit, with some features from the P-2000.) Magazine capacity is larger than
those of the M-1911, but not too large, allowing for more firepower yet less spring fatigue, and improved springs help this greatly. The
frame is polymer; prototypes are colored OD green or desert tan, but other colors can be easily made. Controls are ambidextrous and
also ergonomic, even for small hands.
They are also done “American style” instead of “European style.”
The HK-45 uses the LEM
trigger system, which eliminates the need for a decocker. On the dust cover, molded into the frame, is a MIL-STD-1913 rail.
The
trigger guard is large to allow use with a gloved hand, and the front of the trigger guard is somewhat squared to allow those who like to
put a finger of the nonfiring hand on the trigger guard to do so.
Sights are dehorned 3-dot types; all dots are in white, but the sights
can be interchanged for ones with tritium inlays.
The barrels extend slightly from the slide and frame; they are also threaded and have
an O-ring-type attachment point, allowing for the attachment of virtually any sort of silencer.
Two versions of the HK-45 have thusfar been developed: the full-sized HK-45, with a 4.4-inch barrel, and the HK-45C, with a 3.8-
inch barrel.
The HK-45 uses a 10-round magazine as standard, while the HK-45C has a shorter grip and uses an 8-round magazine
as standard; however, both versions can use each others’ magazines. (When the HK-45C uses the 10-round magazine, a special
adapter can be attached to the bottom of the magazine to cover the bottom of the magazine, which protrudes when used with the HK-
45C.)
Whether or not the HK-45 is picked up by the US military (and what its eventual designation will be) is unknown, nor is it known at
this point whether the HK-45 will even be put into production. I personally hope so, even though I will never get a chance to fire one.
I’ve used both the M-1911A1 and M-9, and I greatly prefer the M-1911A1 to the M-9.
It should be noted that the stats below are provisional; since experimentation with the HK-45 is still ongoing, the eventual size and
weights of the pistols has still not be finalized.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Whether or not the HK-45 is ever mass-produced, it would not be available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
HK-45 .45 ACP 0.79 kg 8, 10 $403
HK-45C .45 ACP 0.68 kg 8, 10 $396

HK-45 SA 2 Nil 1 4 Nil 12
HK-45C SA 2 Nil 1 4 Nil 10

Heckler & Koch P-46 UCP
Appears in: Though company literature lists it, it does not appear to be for sale yet
Notes: Like the HK-45, the P-46 UCP (Ultimate Combat Pistol) probably falls into the category of “weapons that may yet be.”
Rumors say it is being tested by the Bundeswehr and certain German police units, and may even have been combat tested in Bosnia
and possibly Afghanistan, though results of field testing and possible combat testing have not been released to the public at the time
of this writing (early April 2007).
The earliest prototypes of the P-46 apparently appeared in 2002 shortly after the advent of the MP-7
PDW, though it is still officially considered by Heckler & Koch and the Bundeswehr as being in advanced prototype form which is in
limited production for testing purposes, and the design, as it exists now, is still not finalized. Though most of these prototypes are full-
sized versions, though it is possible that a compact version also exists. (I have included stats for a possible compact version below,
though it is purely conjecture on my part. For that matter, a lot of this is conjecture at this point…) Another version is also planned,
which has a barrel extension in order to accept a suppressor which is being designed by Brugger and Thomet.
The P-46 appears to be at least partly based on the P-2000; externally, the two pistols look similar, including the exchangeable
backstraps to fit different-sized hands.
Operation delayed blowback, though exact internal workings are still unknown. The magazine
release, manual safety, and slide lock lever are all ambidextrous.
Below the dust cover is a MIL-STD-1913 rail for the mounting of
accessories. The P-46 is said to be equipped with a modular trigger system which allows the use of several different trigger units,
from a standard non-adjustable military trigger unit to one which allows for great adjustment of the trigger and hammer.
Currently, the
prototypes are being used with a 20-round magazine, but future plans include the use of magazines of the MP-7.
And of course there
is the ammunition – the P-46 uses the same round as the MP-7 PDW.
P-46 4.6mm HK PDW 0.85 kg 20 $400
P-46 Compact 4.6mm HK PDW 0.82 kg 20 $387
P-46 (Silenced) 4.6mm HK PDW Subsonic 1.06 kg 20 $506

P-46 SA 2 1-Nil 1 3 Nil 11
P-46 Compact SA 2 Nil 1 3 Nil 8
P-46 (Silenced) SA 2 Nil 2 2 Nil 9

Hower 12-Shot LeMat
Appears In: A project by Kenneth Hower to produce a modern version of the LeMat revolver.
It is a one-off, made just for fun.
Notes: Clint Thompson of American
Handgunner magazine went out to his father’s place in Oklahoma in late 2016 for an afternoon
of visiting and shooting. While he was there, he took Clint over to a friend’s house to see his 12-shot revolver.
It was the biggest
revolver Clint had seen in his life!
(See the weight figure below, and be amazed.) Though it follows most of the planform of the LeMat,
it is much bigger, because Kenneth had always thought the LeMat was not built heavy enough for its ammunition, especially the
central smoothbore barrel. The massive cylinder also makes it much larger and heavier, along with the ammunition it fires. The
barrels (both of them), are roughly 6.5 inches long and heavy. The basic cylinder ammunition it fires is powerful. For the central bore,
Kenneth did not want to run afoul of the BATFE and have his LeMat classified as a destructive device or short-barreled shotgun, so he
cheated a little bit and developed a new round, the .50-28 Hower, naming after the bore of the barrel and the original caliber of the
LeMat’s central smoothbore barrel.
Kenneth’s central barrel, however, is rifled, so it is classed as a handgun by the BATFE. The .50-
28 Hower round can fire a solid lead projectile or a load of shot, as the .50-28 Hower is basically a brass 28-gauge shell.
Mr Hower built his revolver with amazing craftsmanship, fit, and finish. It is a single-action weapon, like the original, and cocking
back the hammer exposes the cylinder/central barrel selector. The finish is mostly color case-hardened.
After an ample amount of firing the beast for fun, Kenneth Howell donated his new revolver to NRA Museum in Raton, New Mexico.
Hower LeMat .357 Maximum and .50-28 Howell 4.99 kg 12 Cylinder and 1 $316
Internal

Hower LeMat SAR 3 1-1-Nil 2 1 Nil 18
(.357)
Hower LeMat (.50- SAR 1d6x16 or 2d6x4 Nil or 1-Nil 2 3 Nil 12
28, Shot)
P-46 (Silenced) SAR 4 1-2-Nil 2 3 Nil 14

MBA Gyrojet Pistol
Appears in: Weapon experiments conducted in the US in the early 1960s, and later Vietnam
Notes: The idea of a firearm with rocket-powered ammunition is nothing new; it dates back to the Chinese in roughly 1200. More
contemporary experiments with rocket rounds include weapons based on flintlock muskets dating from 1810, the 1834 Danish Voss
“rocket ball” shoulder launcher, and a Walther-designed pistol designed during World War 2 in an attempt to save valuable brass (but
never attained production status).
The US Navy is said to have copied this Walther design after World War 2 for experimentation of
their own, but results of these tests have never been published, and records of Walther’s experimentation are likewise almost
nonexistent. MBA’s Gyrojet Pistol attempted to bring the concept up to date, but fell flat on its face in the process. Many firearms
experts still believe the concept was sound, but way ahead of its time.
In 1960, Dr. Robert Mainhardt and Dr. Arthur T Biehl of the US began to develop a rocket-firing pistol of their own. Their idea was
to produce a handgun with virtually no recoil, and would also be inexpensive (as such a handgun could be made with almost no
moving parts), easy to use, produced no expended brass, and would have a unique psychological effect on an attacker, as the sound
and visual effects of a rocket-powered round would be very different from conventional rounds.
Interestingly, at the time of
development, Mainhardt and Biehl had no military or civilian sales in mind; their target was civilian sales.
Mainhardt and Biehl came up with a pistol called the Gyrojet (named for the spin stabilization produced by rocket vents and the
rocket propulsion of the round).
The pistol itself was made from a light aluminum alloy called Zamac, made from 93% light aluminum
alloy and 7% silicone.
The pistol could be made of such a lightweight alloy since the firing of the Gyrojet rounds produced virtually no
internal stresses on the weapon, and the silicone part of Zamac made cleaning easy and meant that lubrication was not necessary for
a Gyrojet pistol. The only steel components are the few parts of the Gyrojet pistol that do encounter high repeated stresses, such as
the mechanism that loads rounds from the magazine (consisting of one moving part and two springs) and the hammer.
Though early in experimentation, MBA used a 12mm round, they quickly changed the caliber to 13mm since there were ready
sources of 13mm-wide steel tubes.
(More on the effects of this costly decision later.)
The Gyrojet Mk 1 was a pistol that was rather
large in size (10.88 inches long), it is was still very light in weight.
The smoothbore barrel was 5 inches in length, with porting on the
sides along almost its entire length; these ports directed the exhaust of rockets out and slightly forward. The grip plate on the right
side had a small cut-away section at the top front, allowing the shooter to see whether or not he was low on ammunition.
Sights were
fixed, with a simple V-notch at the rear and blade at the front. The exhaust of the rounds also drove the magazine loading
mechanism.
The Gyrojet pistol had no removable magazine; rounds were inserted though the bottom of the grip. The “hammer” is
actually in front of the round when it is chambered; the “hammer” (more of a rammer) slams the round against the fixed firing pin at the
rear.
As the round travels down the barrel, it cocks the hammer.
The entire effect was to balance what little recoil forces the round
produced with the small movements of the firing mechanism, producing recoil only 1/5 of what could be expected of a similar-caliber
conventional handgun.
The launch of the Gyrojet round itself produced only a soft
whoosh – the round itself, still accelerating as it left
the barrel, did not break the sound barrier until it had traveled a little over 15 meters, at which point one heard the normal
crack of a
supersonic firearm projectile.
That said, the Gyrojet Pistol had a lot of problems, almost entirely the result of its ammunition.
The muzzle velocity of the Gyrojet
round was only 30-40 mps, though it increased dramatically to nearly 400 mps at 15 meters, and then tapered off slowly from that
point (the propellant ran out by the time the round had traveled 15 meters). What this meant was that the Gyrojet Pistol had extremely
screwy performance – below 15 meters, the Gyrojet round was unable to penetrate a thin sheet of cloth mounted on cardboard. (In
one experiment, one of the testers held a piece of cardboard
against the muzzle – and stopped the Gyrojet round from even leaving
the barrel when it was fired). At 15 meters, the Gyrojet round could fully penetrate a 25mm-thick steel plate.
Below 15 meters range,
the shooter didn’t really have to aim the Gyrojet pistol to hit exactly what he wanted – but at 50 meters (the maximum effective range
of the M-1911A1 control weapon in military testing), one would be very lucky to get carefully-aimed groups that were less than 100 cm
across.
Combat testing of the 13mm version was reportedly conducted in Vietnam by the SEALs (who were interested in the ability of the
Gyrojet to be fired normally underwater) – but the SEALs were incredibly disappointed, and stopped using the Gyrojet pistol
very
quickly.
(The SEALs also experimented with a version of the Gyrojet Pistol that fired a rocket-powered dart for underwater use, called
the Lancejet – and it had equally disappointing results.) Civilian 13mm versions ran afoul of the then-new 1968 Gun Control act,
which classified the 13mm Gyrojet Pistol as a destructive device due to its caliber.
This led MBA to produce the 12mm Mk II Mod C –
but the new round did nothing to improve the odd ballistics or performance of the weapon.
Changes in the design of the ammunition
to ease mass production just made things worse. Though the Gyrojet Pistols themselves were inexpensive, the rounds were horribly
expensive – the Gyrojet Pistol itself was affordable to civilians, but the price of ammo meant the average owner would almost never
get to fire it; the ballistics meant he wouldn’t be happy with the results when he did fire it.
Gyrojet 12mm Gyrojet 0.4 kg 7 Internal $721
Gyrojet 13mm Gyrojet 0.42 kg 6 Internal $824

Gyrojet (12mm) SA 3* *-1-2 2 2 Nil 10**
Gyrojet (13mm) SA 4* *-1-2 2 2 Nil 11**
*The damage and penetration listed apply at medium range or longer.
At short range, penetration is Nil and damage is 1.
**Hitting a target at short range is one level easier than the standard
Twilight 2000 v2.2 rules.
At medium range, hitting a target
follows standard
Twilight 2000 v2.2 rules.
At long range, hitting a target is one level harder than normal, and at extreme range, hitting
a target is two levels harder than normal.
(And I’m actually being generous with this special rule!)

Metzger Arms Spectre-15
Appears in:
Twilight 2000 First Edition Small Arms Guide, though I have embellished the story considerably.
Fictional Notes: In the late 1980s, the US CIA and DIA and the British MI-5 and MI-6, as well as the Mossad and intelligence
agencies of certain other countries, were looking for a firearm with decent firepower and was yet invisible to X-Rays, CAT Scans, and
MRI scanners, and could also shield the metal and gunpowder of its ammunition from detection from known methods (including dogs
and electronic explosive or gunpowder sniffers). The program was handed to a company known as “Metzger Arms,” which was
actually a CIA front company for black weapon research.
The result, after four years, was the Spectre-15.
The Spectre-15 is
constructed entirely of exotic synthetic polymers (even the barrel and firing pin) that are harder than steel and extremely durable.
The
materials are also virtually invisible to most known detection methods; disassembled, the Spectre-15 is unlikely to be spotted inside a
bag or distributed over a person. The magazine well includes gaskets that prevent odors from exiting the weapon (though the
chamber and barrel do not).
In addition, special bags and cases were issued with the weapon that enhanced those features; these
bags and cases were manufactured to resemble various objects that an average person might carry on an airplane, ship, or other
secured facility. A no-wipe silencer was also made of the same materials for use with the Spectre-15.
A laser spot device is included
with the weapon; some of the parts of the laser are the few parts of the Spectre-15 not composed of the exotic polymer (known as
Abiliplex in CIA records).
The laser spot device can be removed for this reason.
Spectre-15 9mm Parabellum 0.59 kg 15 $599
Spectre-15 .40 Smith & Wesson 0.71 kg 15 $672
Spectre-15 10mm Colt 0.78 kg 15 $713
Spectre-15 .45 ACP 0.85 kg 15 $755
Spectre-15 .50 Action Express 1.27 kg 14 $1007

Spectre-15 (9mm) SA 1 Nil 1 3 Nil 12
Spectre-15 (.40) SA 2 2-Nil 1 3 Nil 13
Spectre-15 (10mm) SA 2 1-Nil 1 3 Nil 12
Spectre-15 (.45) SA 2 2-Nil 1 3 Nil 14
Spectre-15 (.50) SA 4 1-1-Nil 1 3 Nil 14

Miculek Modified Smith & Wesson 627
Appears in: Custom modification by master gunsmith Jerry Miculek
Notes: This revolver is a one-off – it is a Smith & Wesson 627 revolver modified by Jerry Miculek for use certain competitions,
particularly the International Revolver Championships (IRC). It started out as a standard Smith & Wesson 627, but has been
extensively modified, with a mount on the top strap for a Bushnell Holosight optical sight, four anti-recoil ports in the 6.5-inch barrel, a
cylinder modified to use 8-round full-moon clips, an unfinished stainless steel barrel (normally, Model 627 barrels are fully sculptured
by the Smith & Wesson Performance Center), a double-action trigger pull of 8 pounds (Jerry Miculek does not use the single-action
feature of the weapon), and Hogue Monogrip wooden grips that were custom made for his hand and the way he holds a revolver.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Jerry Miculek has had this particular revolver since 1997 – he might or might not have this revolver, or
something similar to it, after the November Nuclear Strikes.
Miculek S&W 627 .357 Magnum 1.59 kg 8 Cylinder $404

Miculek S&W 627 DAR 3 1-Nil 1 2 Nil 15

Omnicorp Auto-9
Appears in:
Robocop series of movies, as the sidearm of Robocop
Fictional Notes: This is the sidearm of Robocop. The Auto-9 is a selective-fire machine pistol based on Beretta's M-93R machine
pistol, but fires a proprietary cartridge developed for it with considerably more power than the standard 9mm Parabellum round of the
M-93R.
Recoil is surprisingly light, despite the power of the rounds.
The weapon is also much larger than the M-93R with a longer
barrel, and an enlarged pistol grip; standard magazine is 16 rounds, but a 30-round extended magazine is available. Note that the
pistol will not fit inside Robocop’s integral leg holster with an extended magazine fitted. This pistol is also available to US and NATO
special operations troops, and to rear area troops as sort of a PDW.
Auto-9 9mm OCP Magnum 2.24 kg 16, 30 $528

Auto-9 3/5 3 1-1-Nil 2 1 2/3 28

Podensenkowsky MCEM-2
Appears in: Weapon experiment in the early-1950s
Notes: This was an experimental machine pistol designed by a Polish expatriate, Lt. Podensenkowsky, as an entry weapon that
was smaller than the then-common (1950) Sten submachinegun. Podensenkowsky placed the magazine in the grip, and removed
the stock, and used the then-new idea of a telescoping bolt to further reduce the size of the weapon. There was no charging handle,
instead, the user put a finger inside a slot above the muzzle and drew it back. Unfortunately, the MCEM-2 is a very light weapon and
the rate of fire high, so the weapon could be virtually uncontrollable in automatic fire.
A butt was then designed made out of rigid
canvas, but the idea was dropped by the British MoD.
MCEM-2 9mm Parabellum 2.49 kg 18 $288
MCEM-2 Stock N/A 0.7 kg N/A $20

MCEM-2 10 2 Nil 2 1 7 19
MCEM-2 (With Butt) 10 2 Nil 3 1 6 24

Stechkin Patparine
Appears in: The beginning of the movie Red Heat, in the hands of Russian KGB agent Ivan Danko (played by Arnold
Schwarzenegger)
Country of Origin: Soviet Union
Fictional Notes: During Red Heat, KGB agent Ivan Danko claims that this is the most powerful handgun in existence, to which his
Chicago police partner Art Ridzik replies that the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum is the world’s most powerful handgun. (Of course,
neither were or are, and the charts don’t bear it out for the Patparine.) The Patparine wielded by Danko in the opening sequences is a
dressed-up Desert Eagle, modified to give it a more “Soviet” look and even though the Desert Eagle used appears to have a six-inch
barrel, an extension is used to make the barrel look more like about 7.5 inches. We’ll make this a match-quality barrel.
So I postulate that the Patparine is a heavy, long-barreled pistol firing a heavy, hot-loaded magnum cartridge. The movie gives the
caliber as 9.2mm; it also uses a fairly-long case.
The ammunition is specially-designed for the pistol. The Pataparine is a custom-
made pistol; most are virtually hand-made and used only by certain KGB agents, especially those able to handle the muzzle blast and
weight (though recoil is mitigated by the sheer weight of the Patparine). Rear sights are micrometer-adjustable; the front is a blade.
Compared to most Soviet weapons, the Patparine is a masterpiece. The long cartridges require that the shooter have fairly large
hands to control the pistol properly.
No muzzle brake or porting is employed. Though some military use was supposedly made of the
Patparine, it is most likely a status symbol in the military rather than a combat weapon, as its characteristics, like the Desert Eagle,
would limit its effectiveness in sustained combat, though it would certainly being an opponent down quickly.
Note: Most of this entry is based on internet guesses.
Patparine 9.2x40mm Patparine 2.22 kg 11 $476

Patparine SA 3 1-1-Nil 2 2 Nil 17

Webley Mars
Appears in: An attempt to capture the British pistol contract in the early 1900s.
Notes: The Mars – well, it was a monster of a pistol, with an 11.25-inch barrel and a weight to match. Webley responded to the
British MoD call for a pistol to replace their revolvers with what was at the time the most powerful handgun in the world, that monster
Mars pistol, firing an equally monster cartridge, the .45 Mars Long.
Most of the complaints about the Mars centered around its weight,
its huge muzzle blast, and the heavy weight of its recoiling parts, which led to heavy recoil in general. It didn’t help matters much that
the mechanism of the Mars ejected the spent shells directly to the rear. The long recoil system was also quite a complex mechanism
– it was necessary at the time for the powerful rounds it fired, but too complex for a service pistol.
The testing soldiers roundly
rejected the Mars; the captain in charge of testing the Mars at the British Naval Gunnery School said that “No one who fired once with
the pistol wished to shoot it again.”
Another testing soldier described shooting the Mars as “singularly unpleasant and alarming.”
Webley then tried to sell the Mars on the civilian market, where it found little sales.
Today, ironically, the Mars has become a much
sought-after collectors’ item, bringing thousands of real-life dollars when sold, and the ammunition is even rarer. The designers of the
modern-day Desert Eagle are said to have taken inspiration from the Mars.
Only about 80 Mars pistols were made.
Mars .45 Mars Long 2.43 kg 10 $833
Mars .45 Mars Short 1.65 kg 10 $431
Mars 9mm Mars 1.65 kg 10 $432
Mars 8.5mm Mars 1.47 kg 10 $347

Mars (.45 Long) SA 5 1-1-Nil 3 5 Nil 26
Mars (.45 Short) SA 4 1-1-Nil 2 4 Nil 32
Mars (9mm) SA 3 1-1-Nil 2 4 Nil 27
Mars (8.5mm) SA 3 1-1-Nil 2 3 Nil 29

AAI GPHMG
Country or Origin: United States
Appears In: Company and other literature as early as the mid-1980s (as far as I know).
Notes: This weapon was designed as a private venture for a replacement for the M2HB.
It aimed to fix a number of perceived
problems with the M-2HB, such as the variable headspace and timing, the slow loading times, the lack of dual-belt ability, and other
small details.
The AAI GPHMG can be fired from a tripod (NHT) or vehicle mount. The weapon has a dual-feed mechanism and is
normally loaded within both BMG and SLAP belts. It also has a mount for sighting or ranging gear, a quick-change barrel, and does
not require the tedious headspace and timing adjustments of the M2HB.
The AAI GPHMG fell victim to budgetary problems in the US
government, and did not sell anywhere else. It remains an interesting “what if.”
Twilight 2000 Notes: The AAI GPHMG appeared too late for widespread distribution, but was acquired by the US military at the
advice of the Chairman of the JCS.
It was popular and much sought-after.
Merc 2000 Notes: This is a weapon that sold better overseas than to the US military, most notably to the South Koreans.
Nonetheless, it was never a big seller.
AAI GPHMG .50 BMG 21.32 kg 110 Belt (x2) $10104

AAI GPHMG (Normal Ammo) 5 10 2-2-3 12 1 3 450
AAI GPHMG (SLAP Ammo) 5 10 1-1-1 12 1 3 541

FN BRG-15
Country of Origin: Belgium
Appears in: I first heard of this weapon in the RDF Sourcebook, and later confirmed it in mid-1980s issues of
Jane’s Infantry
Weapons.
Notes: This is a Belgian-made heavy machinegun designed to fill the gap between the .50 machinegun and the 20mm cannon. It
was also conceptually influenced by the Russian KPV heavy machinegun and the British 15mm Besa. Though it looks very much like
an M-2HB, the BRG-15 is gas-operated instead of recoil-operated with a rotating bolt. This is similar to an enlarged FN-FAL operation,
and most of the operation takes place above the barrel, again like a FAL. It has a dual-feed system that gives the gunner a choice of
ammunition. The BRG-15 can also be used on helicopter mounts. It cannot be fired without a vehicle or tripod mount.
The BRG-15
uses the NHT and was given a hard look by US, NATO, Israeli, and other countries’ militaries, but eventually found no takers.
Twilight 2000 Notes: The BRG-15 partially replaced the M2HB in the USMC, Belgian, French, and Israeli Defense Forces.
Merc 2000 Notes: There is isolated special operations use of this weapon, but it is mostly unknown.
BRG-15 15.5mm BRG 60 kg 100 Belt (x2) $14552

BRG-15 (Normal Ammo) 5 12 2-2-3 14 1 2 479
BRG-15 (SLAP Ammo) 5 12 1-1-1 14 1 2 575

GE XM-214 Microgun
Country or Origin: United States
Appears in: The Microgun idea has been kicked around for while; it appears in literature as early as 1982 (as far as I've been able
to find out).
Notes: Also known as the Six-Pack or the Mini-Minigun, the XM-214 is s smaller version of the M-134 Minigun designed for use by
ground or light vehicle-mounted troops to deliver massive amounts of small-caliber fire for defensive purposes.
It is basically similar to
the Minigun, except that it fires 5.56mm NATO ammunition and have various differences in layout to adapt it to tripod and vehicle use.
Though rumors persist of its testing in various hot spots around the world, it is unknown whether the Microgun has seen any real
combat use, and it remains officially an experimental weapon as of 2003. The Microgun has two rates of fire, and can actually be hip-
fired (though it is unwieldy).
Rumors say that this weapon gave the makers of the movie
Predator the idea for their fictional man-
packed minigun.
The Microgun is fed by a pair of 500-round belts contained in “cassettes,” roughly square containers of belts which are then
connected to the gun by a feed chute. When the cassette is running dry, a flag is tripped telling the crew that they must soon switch
the feed chute to the other cassette. This takes one phase. The Microgun may be run off of external power (it takes 24 Volts DC) or by
a battery, which enough to fire 3000 rounds.
Recharging the battery takes 15 minutes.
Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon was type-standardized M-214 in 1992, though it was still not produced in great quantities. In an
odd sort of competition, it became sort of a badge of rank for command vehicles of infantry units to be armed with the Microgun
whenever possible.
XM-214 5.56mm NATO 18.06 kg 2x500 Belt $5639

XM-214 10/60 3 1-Nil 7 1 2/6 58
XM-214 (Tripod) 10/60 3 1-Nil 7 1 1/1 116

Melanika Uirapuru
Appears in: Jane's and company literature up to the late 1990s.
Notes: Designed to be the standard Brazilian machinegun, the Uirapuru fell victim to budget cuts and competition from cheaper
imports before it could be widely produced and distributed. Built by Mekanika Industries, the Uirapuru is named after a rain forest bird
and has proven to be an excellent and reliable machinegun, though a bit expensive. The weapon is simple but ergonomically built, and
has a very efficient muzzle brake.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Unlike in the real world, the Uirapuru was widely built and distributed in the Twilight 2000 World.
Merc 2000 Notes: The Uirapuru enjoyed lots of sales to mercenaries and clandestine units.
Uirapuru 7.62mm NATO 13 kg 100 Belt $2589

Uirapuru 10 4 2-3-Nil 8 2 8 79
Uirapuru (Bipod) 10 4 2-3-Nil 8 1 4 103
Uirapuru (Tripod) 10 4 2-3-Nil 8 1 2 159

Stange MG-39 Rh
Appears in: Competition to replace the MG-34 just prior and during early World War 2.
Notes: This Czech light machinegun dates back to the German request for a lighter, simplified, improved machinegun to replace
the MG-34, which was eventually won by the MG-42. The original requirements were a higher rate of fire, more reliability, better
suited to mass production through the use of modern production methods such as stamped metal and spot-welding, and production
which cut down time and the need for skilled labor. The design was to use as many of the MG-34’s accessories as possible, such as
the bipod, tripod, and non-disintegrating link belts as well as disintegrating-link belts.
As the design process at the stage at which the
MG-39 Rh appeared, the designs to be submitted were still considered experiments and not required to be completely finalized. The
design proved to be superior in almost all ways to the other two prototypes, including the Grossfuss prototype design which eventually
evolved into the MG-42.
However, Germany decided to go with the Grossfuss design anyway; but Stange decided to keep developing
his gun, figuring that if the Grossfuss team couldn’t work out the bugs in their design, they would be waiting in the wings with a
perfected design.
The MG-39 Rh owes much to Vaclav Holek’s ZB-26, the gun that went on to become Britain’s Bren gun. The MG-39 Rh has the
tilting bolt locking method, the bolt carrier has bolt unlocking ramps, and the firing pin is contained within the bolt and the gun fires by
striking a separate projection on the bolt carrier, therefore actuating the firing pin indirectly.
However, there were plenty of operating
differences, including only having the front part of the bolt tilting upward for locking, the bolt meeting the barrel and stopping, but the
bolt carrier continuing to move forward (which is what tilts the bolt). The ZB-26 was largely machined, but the MG-39 Rh was largely
made of stamped metal, with spot-welding and riveting.
The only machined part is the core of the barrel mounting block.
The design
of the locking lugs required that turn-bolt locked – some say this was an unnecessary complication.
Instead of simple recoil operation,
the MG-39 Rh used gas operation, which brings up the specter of fouling.
Belt pull also uses a complicated operation, with the feed
not gripping the rim of the cartridge, requiring a spring-loaded rim stabilizer, and the belt-feed mechanism contained entirely within the
feed cover, with many small parts. The MG-26 Rh’s extractor was also unusual, being an oscillating spur suspended from pivot pins
and a projecting ejector plunger. The bolt was surprisingly light, despite its complication, filling the requirement for a high rate of fire.
The firing pin is a three-pronged star shape to make it stronger, but requiring more skill on the part of laborers. (A conventional firing
pin would be snapped by the violent action of the extractor system.)
The quick-change barrel was threaded, and had a handle on it,
but required that a nut at the base of the barrel be tightened, negating much of the advantage of the handle. This also resulted in a
chronically leaky gas chamber.
Rotating off a hot, swollen, tight barrel often required banging the nut with a hammer.
In the end, the design of the MG-39 Rh was simply too complicated and far more quirky than the MG-42 turned out to be.
However, some of its best design features would show up in later designs, such as on the PK and PKM and the Vz-59. It was turned
down by the German military. It was a marvelously lightweight design, but simply too complicated for a country in the middle of a major
war that needed machineguns fast and built by largely unskilled labor.
MG-39 Rh 8mm Mauser 6.55 kg 50 Belt, 100 Belt $2758

MG-39 Rh 10 4 2-3-Nil 9 3 14 80
MG-39 Rh (Bipod) 10 4 2-3-Nil 9 1 7 104
MG-39 Rh (Tripod) 10 4 2-3-Nil 9 1 3 159

Armalite AR-17 Golden Gun
Notes: Gene Stoner designed a semiautomatic hunting shotgun in the mid-1950s, using some of his work designing the then-to-be-
coming AR-10 and AR-15.
It was then an excellent design, gas-operated, and used since then in the workings of lots of
semiautomatic shotguns.
At the time though, it was complicated though innovative, and unfortunately expensive (IRL), thus deterring
a lot of sales; the fact that it was primarily meant for sale to civilians didn’t help, as they typically didn’t have unlimited funds. Add to
this that many parts, including the barrel, were made from special (and expensive) steel and aluminum alloys, just made the situation
(and cost) worse, especially in the 24-inch barrel and its compensator.
Armalite did manage to sell a few between 1956 and 1962, but
in the end, not enough to justify keeping even a small production line open. One of the innovative features was the AR-17’s ability to
break apart into two sections just to the rear of this barrel, halving the bulk rating for transport, another is a compensator designed for
use with shot. Metalwork finish is largely blued, but the stock and fore-end are from polymer designed to look and feel like wood.
The most common version had a 2-round tubular magazine, but four and 6-round tubular magazines could be had back in the day.
These were by special order only at the time; IRL, they would cost a mint.
Not many people know of the AR-17's predecessor, the AR-9. The AR-9 was stressed for magnum cartridges, and this made the
recoil a real bear as the AR-9 was made to be light. The 18-inch barrel was primarily light alloy, with a stainless steel bore. The AR-9
was semiautomatic, but it's magazine capacity was only two rounds, giving the shooter a maximum of three shots before he had to
reload. He offered the design to the US military citing it as a good military police firearm, but they were not interested. The nation's
police departments were also not interested.
The AR-9's heavy use of light alloy and polymers made the real-world cost high, and
only one prototype was produced.
AR-17 (2-Round 12 Gauge 2 3/4” 2.54 kg 2 Tubular $737
Magazine)
Magazine)
Magazine)
AR-9 12 Gauge 3" 1.13 kg 2 $620

AR-17 (2-Round SA 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 8 4 Nil 52
Magazine)
Magazine)
Magazine)
AR-9 SA 4/1d6x24 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 6 8 Nil 43

Colt Defender
Notes: When Winchester gave up on the Liberator project (US Shotguns W-Z), Colt took up the weapon and developed it some
more into the Defender.
The Defender is made largely of light castings, and has reduced caliber in a vain attempt to help control the
massive recoil if all barrels are fired at once. Since the gauge was reduced, the amount of barrels was increased.
In addition, a
central tube was added to fire a spring-loaded canister-type grenade (usually tear gas); this barrel is fired by a trigger in a forward
pistol grip that doubles to steady the weapon.
The eight shotgun barrels may be fired all at once, or in sequence; if fired all at once,
the recoil is added together!
Assuming the proper coordination, the user may even fire the central canister grenade at the same time
as the shotgun.
The damage per shell type below is per barrel; add them all together if all barrels are fired at once.
Despite the many supporters of the weapon (including US President Richard Nixon himself), it was regarded as unwieldy and
rejected by the law-enforcement community at which it was targeted. The military was likewise uninterested. Only one prototype was
ever produced, but it is presented here as an interesting “what-if.”
Colt Defender 20 Gauge (all types) 4.35 kg 8 Internal + 1 Internal (Grenade) $156

Defender (2.5” Shells) SA 3/1d6x12 or 2d6x4 2-Nil/Nil or Nil 3/4 2 Nil 20
Defender (3” Shells) SA 3/1d6x16 or 2d6x4 2-Nil/Nil or Nil 3/4 3 Nil 20
Defender (Grenade) SS Grenade Grenade 3/4 2 Nil 11

Hillberg Model J
Notes: Though Robert
Hillberg is better known for his work on semiautomatic shotguns and such exotic projects as the Colt
Defender and Winchester Liberator, he also worked on several pump-action shotguns, such as the Model J.
Like most of his projects,
it has several unusual features; it is a box-magazine-fed pump-action shotgun with an ejection port on both sides of the gun. A switch
determines which way the spent shells are ejected. This allow the Model J to be used with equal utility by left and right-handed
shooters, and the box magazine allows for large ammunition capacity with quick reloading. The Model J was also one of the first
shotguns to be equipped with a folding stock.
The Model J was experimented with by the US Military in Vietnam, but never adopted
by any branch.
Model J 12 Gauge 2 3/4” 3.18 kg 8 $823

Model J PA 4/1d6x24 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 5/6 4 Nil 38

Ramos M-412 TAPP
Notes: The TAPP (Tactical Perimeter Powerhouse) is a project that JM Ramos and a few other gunsmiths dreamed up for an
article in the March 2009 issue of
Small Arms Review magazine. Using a Remington 870 as a base, Ramos and his team came up
with something…unique – a tactical shotgun that can be used (with rifled slugs) as a sharpshooting weapon as well as a conventional
shotgun and close assault weapon.
The modifications done to the Remington 870 base are nothing short of astounding. The shotgun has its stock replaced with an M-
4-style sliding stock (the CAA RS870 6-position stock), which includes a compartment for batteries to power optics and other
accessories; a pistol grip is also mounted.
The receiver is beefed up a bit, and topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail.
This rail has BUIS
flip-up iron sights, and a short MIL-STD-1913 rail near the muzzle mounts a similar front sight. The rail is topped by a low-power red-
dot optical sight; alternatively, other optics or laser pointers can be mounted, or a carrying handle. (The price below includes a 1.5-6x
scope.)
The slide is replaced with a slide that has three MIL-STD-1913 rails (the Wilson Tactical Picatinny Rail Forend); the bottom
rail normally mounts a vertical foregrip (CAA’s VG1) for faster cycling, as well as a lightweight folding bipod (the CAA BPOS Short
Bipod) adjustable for height and cant. On the right side is laser pointing device.
A CAA-made OPS one point tactical sling is also
used.
A ventilated aluminum guard is found above the barrel; the upper MIL-STD-1913 rail extends about a third of the way down this
guard.
The barrel is abbreviated to 14 inches; the magazine is extended almost flush with the muzzle.
So, is the M-412 a shotgun? Certainly. It is a short-barreled rifle? It can function as such. Close assault weapon? Definitely.
Perimeter defense weapon. It can function as such. It may also be a weapon that has been over-accessorized. But it’s definitely
interesting!
M-412 TAPP 12 Gauge 2.75” and 3” 3.7 kg 6 Tubular $1475

M-412 TAPP PA 4 1d6x20 or 4/5 4 Nil 28
2d6x4
With Bipod PA 4 1d6x20 or 4/5 2 Nil 37
2d6x4

Smith & Wesson AS-3
Notes:
This was one of the candidates for the CAWS competition that the US conducted in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Originally, three versions were envisioned: the AS-1, a semiautomatic-only version for police and civilians; the AS-2, which had a
three-round-burst feature; and the AS-3, which fired in full-automatic as well as 3-round burst. The AS-1 was dropped as Smith &
Wesson felt they would not find a market for it, and the AS-2 was dropped as being redundant, leaving the AS-3.
(The automatic and
3-round burst feature, in
Twilight 2000 v2.2 game terms, are identical, since the full automatic cyclic rate is only 375 rpm.)
The AS-3 is a shotgun constructed more like an assault rifle, with rifle sights, straight-line configuration, box ammunition feed, and
a muzzle brake (something which took a lot of research, since most muzzle brakes are destroyed by buckshot or flechette
ammunition). The barrel is unusual, being constructed of light, high-strength alloy instead of steel, as is the receiver. The barrel is
actually of the quick change type, and is 18.75 inches long (though early prototypes used a 18.25-inch barrel). The stock, pistol grip,
and fore-end are of high-impact plastic/synthetic material, with the stock having a rubber recoil pad.
The furniture and upper and
lower receivers are based loosely on the AR-15/M-16 series, and field stripping begins the same way, with the upper and lower
receivers being separated by the use of push pins.
(In fact, some 30% of the parts of the AS-3 are identical to those of the M-16/AR-
15.) Operation is a locked-breech, short-recoil system instead of a gas system, however.
The top of the receiver has a raised
ventilated sighting rib which extends about a third of the length of the weapon; this rib also has modified M-16A1-type rear sights
(calibrated for the 12-gauge ammunition, of course) which are adjustable for elevation and windage, and a simple post front sight.
It
could also mount the same types of optics which could be mounted on an M-16A1 carrying handle. The first prototype AS-3s had a
short fore-end, but later prototypes used a somewhat longer fore-end. Like other CAWS competitors, special ammunition was
developed to take advantage of some of the AS’s unique properties; the AS-3 could also use conventional plastic-cased and
cardboard-cased 12-gauge ammunition, in addition to most antiriot-type 12-gauge rounds if the AS-3 is set for semiautomatic. (The
AS-3 would jam easily if beanbag or baton-type rounds were used on automatic.)
In addition, it was recommended that the AS-3 be
fed with only standard loadings of conventional 12-gauge ammunition its own special ammunition, or that designed for the Olin/HK
CAWS. (These specially-designed rounds were 3 inches long.)
Like other CAWS competitors, the AS-3 was dropped when the CAWS program was terminated.
AS-3 (Early) 12 Gauge 2.75” or 3” 4.42 kg 10 $746
AS-3 (Late) 12 Gauge 2.75” or 3” 4.59 kg 10 $748

AS-3 (Early, 12 GA 2.75”) 3 4/1d6x24 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 6 2 3 39
AS-3 (Early, 12 GA 3”) 3 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 6 2 3 44
AS-3 (Early, Flechette) 3 2d6x8 1-Nil 6 2 3 28
AS-3 (Early, AP) 3 4 1-2-3 6 2 3 44
AS-3 (Early, HE) 3 C1
B3 Nil 6 2 3 28
AS-3 (Early, Gas) 3 (B2) Nil 6 2 3 28
AS-3 (Early, RAP AP) 3 5 1-1-2 6 3 4 59
AS-3 (Late, 12 GA 2.75”) 3 4/1d6x24 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 7 2 3 40
AS-3 (Late, 12 GA 3”) 3 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 7 2 3 46
AS-3 (Late, Flechette) 3 2d6x8 1-Nil 7 2 3 29
AS-3 (Late, AP) 3 4 1-2-3 7 2 3 46
AS-3 (Late, HE) 3 C1
B3 Nil 7 2 3 29
AS-3 (Late, Gas) 3 (B2) Nil 7 2 3 29
AS-3 (Late, RAP AP) 3 5 1-1-2 7 3 4 60

USAC FAS-173
Notes: This was one of the first shotguns in the research that would eventually culminate in the H&K CAWS. The FAS-173 is a
fully automatic shotgun, and as the H&K CAWS had not yet appeared on the scene, it was designed primarily to compete with the
Atchisson Assault 12 (the weapon that eventually became the AA-12).
The FAS-173 was designed by John Foote, who based it on an assault rifle he had built based on the AK series; it therefore in
many ways resembles a cross between the AA-12 (Maxwell Atchisson once worked for USAC) and the Russian Saiga series of
shotguns. The operation is, in fact, quite similar to that of the AK-47’s gas system, with the exception of extraction and that the FAS-
173 was designed to fire from an open bolt.
12-gauge models are built almost entirely of steel; 20-gauge versions (which existed only
in early prototype form) use a steel-lined aluminum barrel.
Stocks are primarily wood (though some plastic-stocked versions were
tried), with a recoil pad on the butt; versions with folding stocks were also built.
The FAS-173 was meant to be part of a family of weapons, to include an assault rifle and light machinegun (which existed only on
paper), but with the world glutted with M-16s and AKs, and no one realizing the utility of a combat shotgun, the FAS-173, went the way
of most of the CAWS program, into the dustbin of history.
FAS-173 (Fixed Stock) 12 Gauge 2.75” or 3” 4.31 kg 10 $1125
FAS-173 (Folding Stock) 12 Gauge 2.75” or 3” 4.31 kg 10 $1145
FAS-173 (Fixed Stock) 20 Gauge 2.75” or 3” 3.04 kg 10 $840
FAS-173 (Folding Stock) 20 Gauge 2.75” or 3” 3.04 kg 10 $860

FAS-173 (Fixed, 12GA, 2.75”) 5 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 6 4 9 43
FAS-173 (Fixed, 12GA, 3”) 5 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 6 4 9 49
FAS-173 (Folding, 12GA, 2.75”) 5 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 5/6 4 9 43
FAS-173 (Folding, 12GA, 3”) 5 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 5/6 4 9 49
FAS-173 (Fixed, 20GA, 2.75”) 5 4/1d6x20 or 2d6x4 2-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 6 4 10 36
FAS-173 (Fixed, 20GA, 3”) 5 4/1d6x20 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 6 4 10 41
FAS-173 (Folding, 20GA, 2.75”) 5 4/1d6x20 or 2d6x4 2-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 5/6 4 10 36
FAS-173 (Folding, 20GA, 3”) 5 4/1d6x20 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 5/6 4 10 41

Winchester Liberator Mk III
Notes: This weapon had its genesis in the early 1960s when the Bay of Pigs invasion was being put together. The planners were
looking for weapons to drop to anti-Castro partisans so they could help the invasion. The idea was something cheap and disposable
in the same vein as the World War 2 Liberator pistol, but more effective. This led to a simple multibarrel shotgun made from aluminum
and magnesium castings to keep costs and weight down. It wasn’t a bad idea, but then people started getting more ideas; a
removable stock that could also be telescoped was added, and gauge was increased from the original 16 Gauge all the way up to 12
Gauge. This made the weapon heavier than it was supposed to be, and gave it nearly unmanageable recoil, especially since all
barrels fire at once!
(This feature meant that the trigger pull was nearly 18 pounds.)
The idea for the weapon was dropped at this
point; it was cheaper and more effective to airdrop World War 2 surplus M-1 Carbines (something that was never actually done, at
least not officially, in Cuba).
Since the four barrels may only be fired simultaneously, this is the figure shown below. Standard choke
for the Liberator is Full.
Winchester Liberator 12 Gauge (all types) 3.63 kg 4 Internal $195

Liberator (2.5”) 4* 4/1d6x20 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 3/5 16 Nil 28
Liberator (3”) 4* 4/1d6x24 or 2d6x4 2-3-Nil/Nil or 1-Nil 3/5 16 Nil 28

Winter Swatriplex-18
Notes: Designed in the late 1970s specifically as a combat shotgun by John W Winter, the Swatriplex-18 had a number of unusual
features, some of which appeared in later shotguns. Unfortunately, the company which was supposed to manufacture the weapon
(Consortium W), pulled out after only a few prototypes were built and Winter was never able to attract anyone else to manufacture, let
alone buy his unusual shotgun.
The Swatriplex-18 used a semi-bullpup design using twin tubular magazines under a single barrel. Feed could be from one
magazine at a time, or alternately between the right and left magazines.
Operation was semiautomatic, using gas operation and
something quite unusual in a shotgun, a telescoping bolt.
Construction was with a combination of light alloys and steel (for the barrel
and where strength was critical).
The 22-inch barrel was surrounded by a shroud/handguard which was ventilated for cooling. The
Swatriplex-18 has ejection ports on both sides of the weapon; each could be sealed, and this allowed use of the weapon by both left
and right-handed shooters by simply reversing the ejection direction, charging handle, and cheek rest (something most designers of
bullpup weapons seem to overlook).
The Swatriplex-18 used rifle-type sights on raised stands; both were adjustable for elevation and
windage by knobs.
(The raised sights were thought of as a potential problem, and Winter reputedly was considering either removable
sights or moving the sights down to the receiver itself.) The stock was of light alloy, but the butt was synthetic with a rubber recoil
pad.
The top of the receiver had a carrying handle which could be folded flat against the receiver if desired.
The Swatriplex-18 was most likely a design which was way ahead of its time; many companies thought it was simply too weird-
looking to sell, despite its reliability and advanced features. This may have killed the Swatriplex-18 more than anything else.
Unfortunately, even the prototypes seem to have disappeared, and examples of the weapon now exist only on paper.
Swatriplex-18 12 Gauge 2.75” 4.1 kg 9 Tubular (x2) $661

Swatriplex-18 SA 4/1d6x28 or 2d6x8 2-3-Nil/Nil or Nil 5 3 Nil 43

Woinchester Wabbit Hunter
Fictional Notes: I am sure that my fellow Americans watched Porky Pig cartoons when they were a kid. I'll also say it's a fair bet
that my Canadian, Mexican, and Western European readers have seen Porky Pig too, and those cartoons were probably shown in still
more countries.
Notes: A lot Porky's appearances had something to do with the "wabbit" he was chasing.
(Of course, since that "wabbit" turned out
be Bugs Bunny, Porky stood no chance whatsoever of causing Bugs so much as a split end on one of his hairs.)
Most of the time, he has a "cartoon generic" version of a blunderbuss, double-barreled shotgun, or very rarely, a rifle.
And then there
came about a week ago, a Porky Pig/Bugs Bunny cartoon I happened to see when channel surfing and decided to watch the whole
of.
Porky had a firearm that I never saw him with before.
It was based on same double-barreled shotgun he carried so many times.
My guess is about 26-inch barrels;
it appears to have
only one trigger, and with most double-barreled shotguns with only one trigger, I will have the first pull fire the upper barrel first, then
the lower. Porky had to remove spent shells manually, so we'll equip his shotgun with automatic extractors instead of ejectors. I didn't
see a rear sight, but I did see a front sight -- it projected far enough above the front end that in real life, it would have caught on
everything and eventually it would have broken off.
And it looked like no firearm iron sight I've ever seen -- like a miniature version of
the crosshairs in a ring that were seen on so many early AAA guns. The barrels had no support of any kind, and I have no idea of
how the barrel cluster is constructed. My guess is that they're welded together; there appeared to have no rib between the barrels or
method of adjusting the aim point of the barrels individually.
There was no safety apparent, nor did the shotgun have externally-
exposed hammers. The stock appears to be a simple wooden stock; how the barrels/mechanism and stock were joined is that they
were just sort of glued together or something.
We'll call it a boxlock with no side plates.
No recoil pad -- ouch.
The shells did look huge -- we'll make the ammunition 8-gauge 4" magnum shells.
I don't know the age of the cartoon, but the
shells were red, so well call them plastic shells. The recoil of one of these shells just had to be massive -- Porky is either made of very
dense flesh or, as is true in so many of those old cartoons, Porky doesn't have to follow the Laws of Physics. However, I put the recoil
numbers that my spreadsheet came up with.
And of course, this shotgun was just as useless against Bugs as anything else that anyone has tried in an attempt to hurt Bugs.
Of course, because I'm trying to turn a cartoon into "reality," this entry is composed basically of free thinking, fudging, and guesses.
I'm just having a little fun here.
Please indulge me.
Woinchester Wabbit Hunter 8 Gauge 4” 7.42 kg 2 Internal $2878

Woinchester Wabbit Hunter SA 7/1d6x72 or 2d6x20 2-3-4/Nil or Nil or 2- 7 6 Nil 91
or 3d6x4 Nil

Armalite AR-1 Parasniper
Appears In: Rifle experiment in 1954 by Eugene Stoner
Notes: The genesis of the AR-1 was an idea for a very lightweight sniper rifle.
The mechanism is based on of the Mauser FN
Rifle (M-1949), and had a standard 20-inch sniper-quality barrel.
By looks, it was unremarkable, but it used the latest in parts
fabrication as well as an unusual aluminum alloy barrel with a steel liner and a compact muzzle brake. The stock had a thin layer of
sheet fiberglass on the outside, and was filled with glass fiber.
The stock is on the shortish side, but had a Monte Carlo adjustable
cheekpiece, a recoil pad, and was adjustable for length.
The stock used a pistol grip configuration instead of the semi-pistol grip of
most sniper rifles of the period.
The AR-1 was bolt-action, with a sturdy interior using mostly aluminum alloy parts.
Unfortunately, Stoner was never able to interest anyone, including military and police, in the AR-1. Only 10 prototypes were built.
Many cited the light weight as producing too much felt recoil. Though Stoner did not necessarily have the Airborne in mind when he
designed the AR-1, it still got associated with airborne forces and acquired the name of Parasniper.
AR-1 7.62mm NATO 1.13 kg 5 $1543

AR-1 BA 4 2-3-Nil 7 6 Nil 74

Heckler & Koch WSG-2000
Appears in: Heckler & Koch literature of the early 1990s.
Weapon Type: Sniper Rifle
This weapon was designed by Heckler and Koch as their answer to the heavy-caliber sniping rifles beginning to emerge at the
time. H&K's research indicated that the best antimateriel rifle would be one firing a moderate-caliber round at a high velocity, and be
of moderate size to reduce shooter fatigue. To this end, they developed a 340-grain 9x90mm ammunition fired by a large powder
load, to produce a muzzle velocity of over 1100 meters per second.
This was coupled with a computerized sight that is equivalent to a
12x sight with an additional bonus of +3 to hit at all ranges, and also has night vision equal to an image intensifier.
This weapon was
to be issued to various Special Operations communities, but was unfortunately never developed beyond one working prototype due to
lack of interest and high cost of development.
WSG-2000 9x90mm MEN 7.98 kg 5 $6685

WSG-2000 SA 8 1-3-5 7 4 Nil 61
WSG-2000 (Bipod) SA 8 1-3-5 7 2 Nil 81

Armalite AR-5/MA-1
Found in: USAF requirement for a new aircrew survival rifle
Notes: In 1955, the Air Force was still searching for a better survival rifle to equip aircrews who had to bail out. The Air Force
heard of someone named Eugene Stoner, "who could do wonderful things with light rifle designs." The Armalite company designation
was the AR-5; the Air Force designation for the then-prototype rifle was the MA-1.
The AR-5 had a number of features that would turn up again in later designs.
The entire weapon could be stripped and put into a
compartment in the stock; the result was watertight and would float.
Even if it were thrown into the water fully assembled, the stock
would cause the end to bob to the surface. (Sound familiar?)
It was a bolt-action locking breech weapon.
The stock was fiberglass,
and most of the rest was made of aluminum alloy, including the barrel. On the second prototype, Armalite put a small button compass
on the toe of the stock.
No 2 was the only AR-5 that had this feature.
The barrel had a stainless steel liner and was 9 inches long.
The stock could be removed from the rifle, and the AR-5 used as a long-barreled pistol. The .22 Hornet, though an unusual choice for
military use, was compact, powerful for its size, could take down small game or a perhaps even a man, and even make a bear think
twice.
12 prototypes were built, and it seemed that the reviews from the Air Force were good.
Production could start at any time.
Then
word came from the top -- there were already enough M-4 (not to be confused with the M-4 Carbine) and M-6 survival rifles in the
inventory, and the Pentagon didn't want to spend a bunch more money for new survival rifles, even if the AR-5 was superior to the M-4
and M-6.
The Air Force, Navy, and Marine pilots didn't like the whole idea of a survival rifle in the first place -- it took a lot of room in
their bail-out pack that would be better used carrying survival food or water.
The AR-5 went the way of the dodo, but most of its
features surfaced again in the AR-7.
AR-5 .22 Hornet 1.8 kg 4
$574

AR-5 (Carbine BA 2 1-1-Nil 2/4* 4 Nil 24
Configuration)
AR-5 (Pistol BA 2 1-1-Nil 2 4 Nil 12
Configuration)
*The bulk listed here is fully assembled/pieces disassembled and in stock. It cannot be fired in its disassembled state.

Barsness-Sisk Remington 700BDL
Found In: Wildcat action of a Remington 700 BDL
Notes: John Barsness and Charlie Sisk used a Remington 700BDL action with a 24-inch barrel to hand-make a rifle firing a new
wildcat cartridge they were working on, the 9.3mm Barsness-Sisk. Essentially a 9.3x62mm Mauser bullet in a .350 Remington Case,
the 9.3mm Barsness-Sisk offers a flat trajectory and good hitting power at long distances.
For now, the project is a one-off.
Barsness-Sisk 9.3mm Barsness-Sisk 5.44 kg 4 Internal $2849
Remington 700BDL

Barsness-Sisk BA 6 1-3-Nil 8 4 Nil 112
Remington
700BDL

Carl Stolzer 2-Bore Rifle
Found in: A Limited-Production Weapon by Carl Stolzer and his mad imagination.
Notes: This massive rifle was at first designed by custom gunsmith Carl Stolzer as a whim; soon, however, several select buyers
expressed an interest in it.
It is essentially a wooden-stocked rifle, with a Monte Carlo comb, a checkered pistol grip wrist, and a
checkered fore-end.
It has a color-case hardened finish receiver, and a rust blued upper receiver, trigger guard, hammer, and barrel.
The receiver is engraved in a pattern of broad acanthus leaves. The stock is of sugar maple, finished in oil and wax, with the
aforementioned checkering very fine at 20 lpi. The rear sight is a folding leaf on a quarter-rib; the front sight is a silver bead on a ramp.
Rick Straker, the first customer of the rifle, is a lefty, so the action is designed for left-handed shooters, but Mr Stolzer intends to make
the weapon for certain exclusive buyers and will make it in a right-hand version. The rifle is, at it’s base, a premium single-shot rifle.
OK, so it is a standard single-shot rifle so far, right?
That’s where the similarity ends.
The rifle is chambered for 2-Bore (33.68mm)
ammunition, which is also custom made by handloaders working for Carl Stolzer.
The round fires a lead round ball; the entire round
weighs almost half a kilogram. The 2-Bore Rifle is designed for blackpowder, and is not stressed for modern propellants. The barrel is
28 inches, and has a rather lazy twist for its rifling, perfect for stabilizing balls or short conical bullets. There is no muzzle brake or
flash suppressor; the muzzle is bare. Stolzer’s 2-Bore includes a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad and three mercury recoil reducers.
Recoil is a slow (but not gentle) push instead of a sudden sharp kick.
Note that the cost below is for Twilight 2000.
The real cost could probably buy you a new luxury car.
Twilight 2000 Notes: These rifles are not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Pity.
Carl Stolzer 2- S&H Super Precision 2-Bore 10.04 kg 1 Internal $1642
Bore

Weapon ROF Damage* Pen Bulk SS Burst Range
Carl Stolzer 2- SS 13 1-1-1 9 7 Nil 123
Bore
*Damage against vehicles is 3/3/2/1.

LeMAG MAG-1
Seen in: Weapon experiment done by Tim LeGendre in the late 1990s, with a few being built for himself and a few unnamed
friends and (it is rumored) certain US Special Ops units.
Notes: A custom modification by Tim LeGendre of the M-1 Carbine, the MAG-1 was produced in two calibers, first on a whim, then
in limited numbers for US Special Operations forces and for big game hunters. The MAG-1 has all the balance and lightness of the
original weapon, and has reputably very controllable recoil despite their greatly increased calibers. The stocks have been replaced
with a synthetic stock, since the original wooden stocks crack under the pressure of the higher calibers.
MAG-1 .45 Winchester Magnum 3.5 kg 6, 12 $434
MAG-1 .50 Action Express 3.5 kg 5, 10 $504

MAG-1 (.45) SA 4 1-1-Nil 6 2 Nil 49
MAG-1 (.50) SA 5 1-2-Nil 6 3 Nil 50

LeMAG MAG-14
Notes: Another custom modification by Tim LeGendre, this time of the M-14, the MAG-14 is modified for the .338WM round. Again,
the stock has been replaced with a synthetic one, and the sights have been replaced with new ones appropriate for the new caliber.
The rifle is fed from a modified M-1 Garand clip or a modified BAR magazine.
MAG-14 .338 Winchester Magnum 4.8 kg 5 Clip, 8 $1894

MAG-14 SA 6 2-3-Nil 7 4 Nil 82

LeMAG MAG-15
Notes: Another custom modification by Tim LeGendre, this time of the AR-15 in a custom caliber called .45 Professional. The new
round has nearly the ballistics of the .338WM while reliably feeding into a modified AR-15. Though accuracy is not its strong suit,
damaging potential is. The magazines are modified AR-15/M-16 magazines, but the 90MWG and 100-round C-Mags cannot be used
with this weapon. It is notable that Eugene Stoner, inventor of the AR-15 series, insisted that this modification could not be
accomplished.
MAG-15 .45 Professional 4 kg 8, 12 $2142

MAG-15 SA 6 2-4-Nil 6 5 Nil 74

208 Research Institute SMG
Country of Origin: China
Appears in: This is an actual weapon developed for the Chinese PDW/SMG competition, but not approved.
Notes: The PLA is currently conducting a competition for a new submachinegun/personal defense weapon to be issued across the
board from rear area troops to certain special operations forces. One of the competitors was in the competition for so short a time that
it never had an official name, but is normally called simply the “208,” for the company that designed it, the 208 Research Institute.
The
208 is mostly a conventional-design SMG (in fact, it looks vaguely like an MP-5, and the external design was in fact influenced by the
German SMG; it can even use steel MP-5 magazines).
The guts of the 208 are, however, very different from the MP-5; it uses a
telescoping bolt, blowback operation, and fires from an open bolt. The upper receiver is of stamped steel, while the lower receiver and
collapsing stock are of aluminum alloy (virtually identical to the metal used in the AR-15/M-16 series’ lower receiver). Handguard,
pistol grip, and the buttstock insert are of light-but-strong polymer.
The charging handle is on top of the receiver (below the sight line
of the front and rear sights), and if the 208 jams it may be rotated 90 degrees (locking it to the bolt) and used as a forward assist.
Though the sights are not of unusual design (they are a simple hooded front post and an aperture rear); they are made of an unusual
material: titanium alloy. The rear sight is removable and mounted on a short optics mounting rail.
The selector lever is also unusual;
in addition to conventional safe, semiautomatic, 3-round burst, and automatic settings, it also slides out, allowing the weapon to be
broken open for cleaning in the same manner as an AR-15/M-16-series weapon. (This strikes me as slightly dangerous, but
anyway…)
A variety of accessories were designed for the 208, ranging from non-magnifying holographic reflex sights to laser pointers
to a lightweight silencer.
Unfortunately, the 208 was dropped from the competition very early in the process; most sources cite the exotic construction
materials and that unusual selector lever/breakdown pin. The 208 Research Institute tried to market the weapon elsewhere, but found
no buyers.
It remains an interesting “what-if” weapon.
Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Merc 2000 Notes: There is some limited use of the 208 (known in the Merc 2000 timeline as the Type 08 submachinegun) by a
couple of Chinese warlords’ forces, but the primary users of the 208 are the troops of the Myanmar Army.
208 SMG 9mm Parabellum 1.7 kg 30 $411

208 SMG 3/5 2 Nil 2/3 2 3/4 26

AAI 18.5mm Submachinegun Feasibility Model (“Rocket Submachinegun”)
Appears In: DARPA weapons research in the early 1970s.
Notes: More commonly called the 18.5mm Rocket Submachinegun, this unusual weapon was the result of a DARPA-sponsored
effort in the early 1970s to develop a short-barreled automatic weapon based on the rocket-powered projectile idea of the Gyrojet
Pistol. Though the Rocket Submachinegun is thought by some as more of a short-barreled assault shotgun firing exotic ammunition,
AAI always referred to the weapon as a submachinegun; and as its primary round does use a single projectile, I will keep it in this
section of the site.
The final design proved to be quite feasible, and AAI also felt that the Rocket Submachinegun could also be easily
converted into submachineguns firing more conventional ammunition (though this was never actually done, except on paper). The
military was reportedly very interested in the Rocket Submachinegun as a lightweight support weapon, but the post-Vietnam War
drawdown and its sharp budget cutbacks killed the Rocket Submachinegun’s DARPA sponsorship, killing the development program
after only a few prototypes had been built.
The Rocket Submachinegun looked basically like a typical compact submachinegun of the time, albeit with a huge-sized barrel and
magazine.
Due to the nature of the weapon and its ammunition, operation is a rather strange mix of gas and delayed blowback.
The
round itself is ignited by a standard percussion-type primer and using a firing pin. The Rocket Submachinegun fired from a closed
bolt, with a retarding wedge holding the bolt closed until just after the round has left the barrel (roughly 25 milliseconds).
This allows
the gas pressure from the launching charge of the round to fall low enough so that the blowback part of the operation (which uses
some of the gas from the launching charge as well as the slight kick from the primer) does not produce an excessive amount of recoil
nor undue stress on the lightweight receiver. The entire round, including the casing, was fired from the Rocket Submachinegun, which
made the use of any sort of extraction mechanism unnecessary unless there was a dud round or the weapon needed to be cleared for
safety while a round was chambered.
The firing mechanism, despite its unusual nature, was actually quite simple and required few
moving parts.
The receiver of the Rocket Submachinegun was of lightweight aluminum alloy, with steel used for the operating parts,
barrel, and a few other parts that might be otherwise easily damaged.
Sights consisted of an adjustable rear notch and a front blade.
The 11.5-inch barrel was rifled, due to the intended operation of the rocket rounds. Though the prototypes had no stocks, they did
have attachment points for both fixed and folding stocks, which would have been added later in the development.
The ammunition, designed specifically for the Rocket Submachinegun, was about the size of a 12-gauge 3-inch magnum shell –
but that is where the similarity ended.
The rounds were rimless, with canted exhaust ports around the base to spin-stabilize the round
after main propelling charge fires (except for the HE-FRAG round, which is spin-stabilized only by the rifling in the barrel).
The rocket
rounds used a large case of light steel alloy with a standard percussion-type primer, but the entire round left the weapon when fired.
The rocket rounds had three charges in them.
The first, the launching charge, fires in a near-instantaneous spurt to fire the round
from the barrel before the main propelling charge fires.
The main propelling charge fires after the round has traveled about 6 meters
(about 48 milliseconds after the launching charge fires), which keeps the exhaust from the rocket motor from harming the shooter.
The third charge depends upon the round that was fired, and is either a small sabot separation charge (for the Multi-Scimitar), a pellet
ejection charge (for the buckshot round), or a conventional RDX filler (for the HE-FRAG round).
The intended primary round for the Rocket Submachinegun was the Multi-Scimitar.
The Multi-Scimitar used a four-piece sabot that
contains two stacks of seven Scimitar sub-projectiles; the Scimitar sub-projectile itself was an advanced-design flechette made from
simple stamped sheet steel and weighing 0.81 grams (12.5 grains). The Scimitar was flat in shape, with a pointed nose that was
sharpened to provide greater penetration as well as improve aerodynamics and stability in flight.
The rear of the Scimitar has a pair of
slightly-twisted fins to further improve flight stability by providing a slow rate of spin. A thicker cross-section at the nose also improved
stability, ensures that the Scimitar flies nose-first, and somewhat improves striking power.
The sub-projectile package was designed
to diverge quickly so that it can effectively attack large groupings of enemy troops at close and medium range – the Scimitars give a
grouping of about a 50mm at 15 meters range, increasing to about 400mm at about 30 meters range.
The Scimitar projectiles were
known to produce large, nasty wounds out of proportion to their size and weight.
(In game terms, shots at short and medium ranges
follow standard
Twilight 2000 v2.2 buckshot/flechette rules – but at long range, Scimitar hits are only half as likely, and extreme range
fire is effectively not possible with the Multi-Scimitar round.)
The Scimitar projectiles would later show up again in the CAWS program,
though ultimately they were rejected for use in the CAWS ammunition.
The second round designed for the Rocket Submachinegun is an HE-FRAG round, essentially a small grenade. The design of the
HE-FRAG round was more or less conventional, and used a modified form of the rocket shell used for the Multi-Scimitar round.
The
fragments were produced by a thickened steel case wall, internally scored and producing 415 cubical steel fragments.
The third round is a rumored buckshot-type round that was essentially a rocket-powered shotgun shell; it may have been a planned
type of rocket round that was never actually produced. The buckshot round was similar to the Multi-Scimitar round in design, but
discharged 14 cubical tungsten pellets approximately 2.5mm in size, with the heavy, cubical tungsten pellets providing increased
penetration and tissue damage.
Rocket Submachinegun (Stockless) 18.5mm AAI Rocket Round 2.4 kg 20 $1875
Rocket Submachinegun (Fixed Stock) 18.5mm AAI Rocket Round 2.9 kg 20 $1905
Rocket Submachinegun (Folding Stock) 18.5mm AAI Rocket Round 2.7 kg 20 $1925

Weapon ROF Damage* Pen Bulk SS Burst Range
Rocket Submachinegun (Stockless, Multi-Scimitar) 5 2d6x14 1-3-Nil 4 1 3 20**
Rocket Submachinegun (Stockless, HE-FRAG) 5 C1
B8 Nil 4 1 3 60
Rocket Submachinegun (Stockless, Buckshot) 5 2d6x14 1-Nil 4 1 3 20
Rocket Submachinegun (Fixed, Multi-Scimitar) 5 2d6x14 1-3-Nil 6 1 2 20**
Rocket Submachinegun (Fixed, HE-FRAG) 5 C1
B8 Nil 6 1 2 60
Rocket Submachinegun (Fixed, Buckshot) 5 2d6x14 1-Nil 6 1 2 20
Rocket Submachinegun (Folding, Multi-Scimitar) 5 2d6x14 1-3-Nil 4/6 1 2 20**
Rocket Submachinegun (Folding, HE-FRAG) 5 C1
B8 Nil 4/6 1 2 60
Rocket Submachinegun (Folding, Buckshot) 5 2d6x14 1-Nil 4/6 1 2 20
*As the main propellant charge does not ignite until a Rocket Submachinegun round has traveled 6 meters, the velocity of the rounds
are relatively low until this point.
If any of these rounds are fired at a target 6.5 meters or less in range, the round will hit as a single,
low-velocity round; rounds like the Multi-Scimitar or buckshot will not have time for the sub-projectiles or pellets to separate, and the
HE-FRAG’s contact fuze will not have time to arm, and will not explode.
Damage rating in this case is only 2, and penetration is Nil.

The Scimitar sub-projectile is essentially treated as a buckshot/flechette round for game purposes at greater than short range – except
that it has a long range in addition to a medium range, the individual Scimitars have a damage rating of 2, and Penetration rating is 1.

**See the paragraph on the Multi-Scimitar round above for further information on range effects.

AMAC Delta-786
Appears in: Company literature of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Notes: The Delta-786 was designed by AMAC primarily for military use, and secondarily for police SRT and SWAT use, with
another possible role as a bodyguard’s weapon.
The Delta-786 is essentially a very small submachinegun, perhaps more a PDW or
machine pistol.As it’s primarily design impetus was to function as a PDW in military use by rear-area troops, vehicle troops, or a
sidearm for helicopter crews, it contains features that are primarily military in appeal.
The Delta-786 is light and compact yet dirable
and hard to break.
An optional “stock” is very unusual; it consists of a curved chinpiece to brace the weapon against (yes, that sounds
rough to me as well).
The chinpiece could also be used trapped against the forearm as a vestigial stock. Of course, in the testing
phases, this was supplemented by a snap-on conventional stock, but it was not retractable. Operation is by open belt and direct
blowback.
Though there was only one manual safety, the Delta-786 also had a plethora of internal passive safeties.
The trigger
guard folds down for use with heavy gloves. A special holster, strapping to the thigh, was designed for the Delta-786.
Field stripping is
fast and easy, and a partial breakdown can also be done which exposes the most commonly-dirtied parts for cleaning and lubrication.
Sights are heavy-duty, with the rear sight fully adjustable.
Proprietary magazines were designed, but Uzi magazines can also be used. AMAC says that the US Military never looked at their
SMG seriously, and no country seems to have been interested as well.
Delta-786 9mm Parabellum 2.7 kg 20, 25, 32 $273

Delta-786 5 1 Nil 1/3 1 2 16

Anthony Smith M-11/Suomi
Appears in: Many such weapons are regularly designed here and there in the world -- particularly in the US -- mostly for use in
specialist submachinegun competitions by licensed individuals, or simply as experiments.
Notes: The M-11/Suomi is a “frankenweapon” – a new weapon made by combining the parts of one or more weapons into a new
whole, in this case the Ingram M-11 in 9mm (the SWD version) and part of the upper receiver of a Finnish Suomi submachinegun.
The result looks sort of like a long-barreled M-11, with the magazine feed moved well forward of the grip, and now using Suomi-type
magazines (including the 71-round drums). The rate of fire is drastically lowered by addition of a weight to the bolt, to 527 rpm. Due
to the forward position of the magazine feed, the barrel is not actually as long as it might appear; it is in fact only 137 millimeters long.
The primary advantage of Anthony Smith’s conversion is to decrease the wasteful rate of fire of the M-11, grant the ability to use the
much better-made Finnish magazines (which are also common on the War Surplus market), and simply produce an interesting
weapon. It is not known at this time whether Mr. Smith plans on any sort of production of the M-11/Suomi, though he does sell the
plans for the weapon.
Twilight 2000 Notes: This submachinegun does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
M-11/Suomi 9mm Parabellum 3.61 kg 50, 71 Drum $277

M-11/Suomi 5 2 Nil 3/5 1 2 17

Ares Folding SMG
Appears in: Weapon experiments of the late 1960s to late 1980s, when several such weapons were designed in the US.
Notes: The ARES Folding SMG is an ARES patent of the Warin SMG.
It is a novel concept in weapons, capable of being folded to
the size of a cigarette carton. One phase is required to ready the weapon when folded (or vice-versa). The magazines used are Uzi or
MP-28 magazines.
The cyclic rate of fire is adjustable between 650 and 950 rpm; this is more a continuous adjustment, rather than a
selector lever (though only ROFs of 5 and 10 are shown below). There is also a 3-round burst setting.
In reality, only two of these
weapons were ever built, and they were withdrawn from sale without any buyers; it however makes an interesting “what-if.”
Twilight 2000 Notes: Over 100 of there weapons were built for CIA and DIA agents.
Merc 2000 Notes: As Twilight 2000 Notes, except that the number was closer to 200.
ARES Folding SMG 9mm Parabellum 1.81 kg 20, 32 $416

ARES Folding SMG 3/5/10 2 Nil 3 1 2/3/7 19

Benelli CB-M2
Appears in: This submachinegun was actually ready for full-scale production, but unfortunately Benelli had no buyers for whom to
manufacture it.
Notes: This SMG fired a purpose-designed "semi-caseless" cartridge based on the 9mm Parabellum round. The round is semi-
caseless in that the primer section is made of a combustible compound inside a ring made of a brass compound. However, there is
nothing to be ejected when the weapon cycles, since the "semi-case" is also ejected with the round down the barrel. Several countries
evaluated the weapon and liked it very much; however, the prospect of incorporating totally new ammunition into their supply chain
was a stumbling block, and none were officially accepted into military service. It therefore went into the dustbin of history.
Twilight 2000 Notes: The only people using the CB-M2 in the Twilight 2000 World are a few special ops personnel, and
government agencies.
CB-M2 9mm AUPO 3.15 kg 20, 30, 40 $344

Benelli CB-M2 10 2 1-Nil 3/4 1 5 23

Colt MARS
Appears In: A government request to Colt Firearms in 1997
Notes: The MARS (Mini Assault Rifle System) was designed at the behest of the Special Analytical Services in 1997, who felt that
there was a place in the military as well as the police for a PDW-type weapon that would also be useful to police SRT teams as well as
military special operations.
The MARS had a different design philosophy than other PDWs like Heckler & Koch’s MP-7 and FN’s P-90
– most PDW’s focused on lightweight rounds with enhanced penetration, while Colt’s approach was on damage and range, with
penetration a secondary requirement and minimum re-tooling necessary for production of the MARS as well as its ammunition a third.
The MARS prototype was, in fact, a heavily-modified M-4 carbine – literally.
The M-4 used in the tests was taken apart, had metal
machined out of the lower and upper receivers, a modification to the magazine well, a new bolt put in – even the magazines were M-
16/M-4 magazines that had been cut apart and reduced in width, with a new follower and spring added.
Nonetheless, these jury-
rigged weapons produced outstanding test results.
Three prototypes were made; two were chambered for the 5.56x30mm MARS
cartridge, while one was chambered for the 9x30mm MARS cartridge.
The 5.56mm MARS cartridges were made with cut-down
5.56mm NATO brass and loaded with an M-193 bullet; the 9mm MARS round was made from a necked-down 10mm Colt round
loaded with a lengthened 9mm Parabellum bullet. The M-4s used for the prototypes were flat-top weapons, and thus the tops of the
receivers had a length of MIL-STD-1913 rail. The sliding stock was modified to allow it to be collapsed shorter than that of a standard
M-4; they could be collapsed almost to the receiver.
The sights designed for the MARS were a lower-profile M-4-type front sight and a
rear sight unit with a 1.5x optical sight, with a folding iron sight similar to that of the M-4 as a backup.
In hindsight, it is believed that what killed the MARS program was its proprietary cartridges.
As the 5.56mm MARS has the
ballistics of a hotloaded .221 Fireball round, many have said that Colt should have chambered the MARS for this round instead.
At
any rate, military and police forces to whom it was demonstrated thought it was a great weapon, but funds for development never
came Colt’s way.
Twilight 2000 Notes: The MARS does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
MARS 5.56mm MARS 2.45 kg 30 $549
MARS 9mm MARS 2.92 kg 30 $932

MARS (5.56mm) 5 2 1-Nil 3/4 3 6 16
MARS (9mm) 5 3 2-Nil 3/4 4 9 16

Connor M-21 Folding SMG
Appears in: Weapon experiments of the late 1960s to late 1980s, when several such weapons were designed in the US.
Notes:
During the movie Robocop II, the public saw for the first (and only time) a folding submachinegun in the hands of the
juvenile villain called the UC-9.
This weapon was designed by Utah Connor for use by undercover police and clandestine forces. It
never reached production (and the one in the movie was the only one made), but the design was later refined into the M-21.
The UC-
9 was a rather fragile weapon; the M-21 is far less so.
An accidental discharge while folded was possible with the UC-9; the M-21
cannot be folded if the weapon is cocked or a round is in the chamber.
The folded dimensions of the M-21 are 267x114x38mm.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Some 500 of these weapons were produced for MilGov after the split.
Merc 2000 Notes: Though reports of these weapons show up from time to time, no one is sure how many have been produced or
who they were originally made for.

M-21 5 2 Nil 3 1 3 22

Heckler & Koch HK-54A1
Appears in: Candidates for Project 6.2 of the US JSSAP in the 1980s.
Notes: The US JSSAP (Joint Services Small Arms Program) in the 1980s was a large military small arms research project used to
research and (if possible) procure new small arms for the US military. Some parts of the JSSAP included the well-known ACR
program and the pistol project that eventually led to the adoption of the M-9 pistol.
One of the lesser-known parts of JSSAP was
Project 6.2, meant to produce a new submachinegun for US military special operations.
As it was a small part of JSSAP, Project 6.2
was to use, as much as possible, off-the-shelf components or modified versions of them.
US military special operations were already
using several Heckler & Koch weapons, so they were contracted to work with several US military research agencies to work on Project
6.2, with the MP-5 submachinegun being the base weapon.
The first weapon produced by JSSAP 6.2 was the HK-54A1.
The HK-54A1 was a highly-modified version of the MP-5, with
numerous new features to make the HK-54A1 a more versatile submachinegun than the MP-5.
The HK-54A1 has been dehorned to a
large extent from its MP-5 base – without the silencer attached, it’s shorter than an MP-5, and most sharp contours have been
rounded off or covered with a polymer shell.
The sights, however are much more complex than those of the MP-5; the rear sight was
a large drum-type diopter sight which can be adjusted to a finer point than typical submachinegun sights.
The front sight was basically
the same as found on the MP-5.
Though the HK-54A1 could feed from standard MP-5 magazines, Heckler & Koch also designed a
drum magazine made of polymer and light alloy, with a capacity of 50 rounds. (Despite the lightweight materials used in the drum
magazine, the drum still weighed 0.68 kg empty, and it was rather clumsy.) The selector mechanism allowed for five settings – safe,
semiautomatic, 3-round burst, automatic, and locked breech (explained in the next paragraph).
The sliding stock was designed to be
lighter and more streamlined, and the buttplate was much smaller in size.
(Future development was to give the HK-54A1 an ability to
mount a wide variety of attachments, but development of the HK-54A1 never got that far.)
Perhaps the largest amount of modification to the MP-5 design was made for silenced operation. The HK-54A1 was designed from
the start to use a silencer better than any on the market, and yet still be completely effective without a silencer attached. Heckler &
Koch used part of the MP-5SD design to do this – the HK-54A1 has gas ports near the breech similar to those on the MP-5SD. Unlike
the MP-5SD, the 7.06-inch barrel of the HK-54A1 is strong enough for use without the silencer attached, and the ports can be closed
with using a switch under the fore-end of the weapon in front of the magazine well.
The silencer is of the screw-on type, and more
than doubles the length of the HK-54A1; with no silencer attached, the HK-54A1’s barrel does not extend beyond the handgrip and
barrel shroud.
The HK-54A1’s silencer, like that of the MP-5SD, demands the use of full-power 9mm Parabellum ammunition of
standard military weight and propellant charge; without the silencer, the HK-54A1’s shooter has a much wider choice of 9mm
Parabellum ammunition types. Silent operation could be further enhanced by a selector lever setting that locks the bolt back after
each shot, eliminating bolt clatter.
(In game terms, the HK-54A1 has better than Class 3 noise suppression when fired on the locked
breech setting, but also has a BA fire rate.)
Used with a locked bolt and silencer, the HK-54A1 was at the time possibly the quietest
silenced weapon yet designed.
The HK-54A1 was given a lot of testing by the US military, including range, field, and some combat testing in unspecified places.
The troops that used the HK-54A1 felt that it was a very effective weapon and an improvement over both the MP-5 and MP-5SD – but
not a big enough improvement to merit large-scale procurement.
The mechanism of the HK-54A1, particularly with the barrel porting
system, often caused problems, as they could be jammed, even when closed, by dirt – in a closed, open or partially-open position.
Unit armorers sometimes felt that maintenance was a real pain in the butt due to the complex mechanism. The large 50-round drum
designed by Heckler & Koch turned the HK-54A1 into a relatively clumsy weapon. When the silencer was attached to the HK-54A1,
the length of the weapon suddenly became 7.2 inches longer, and the HK-54A1 became very front-heavy with the silencer attached.
Add the drum magazine
and the silencer to the HK-54A1, and the user ended up with a very clumsy weapon. The special operations
troops that used the HK-54A1 didn’t think the HK-54A1 was necessarily a bad weapon, but they did feel there was considerable room
for improvement; therefore, they couldn’t recommend any large-scale buys to their superiors.
Heckler & Koch did more work with the
HK-54A1 design, producing the submachineguns commonly known as the SMG I and SMG II.
These are detailed later in this section
of this site.
HK-54A1 9mm Parabellum 2.98 kg 10, 20, 30, 50 Drum $384
HK-54A1 Silencer N/A 0.42 kg N/A $123

HK-54A1 3/5 2 Nil 3/4 1 2/3 19
With Silencer 3/5 2 Nil 4/5 1 1/2 16

Heckler & Koch SMG I/SMG II/MP-2000
Appears in: Candidates for Project 6.3A of the US JSSAP in the 1980s.
Notes: Though the HK-54A1 was rejected by the US military, US special operations units (especially the Navy’s SEALs) still felt
that the HK-54A1
was a promising design; it just needed more work. The Pentagon therefore authorized the JSSAP 6.3A
submachinegun project, and asked Heckler & Koch to further develop the HK-54A1 with input from the US special operations
community as well as selected US firearms designers.
The aim was to produce a submachinegun that could be placed in service by
the mid-1990s, and possibly also usable by other troops as a PDW.
Though commonly called the SMG I, the first weapon produced under JSSAP 6.3A was referred to by the military as the JSSAP
6.3A SMG; Heckler & Koch gave it the unusual developmental designation of HK-94054.
The SMG I was a lightweight, short-barreled
submachinegun, barely larger than an MP-5K, but much more streamlined in appearance and in most ways more versatile. The lower
receiver, magazine well, pistol grip, a non-folding foregrip, handguard, trigger guard, and trigger group housing were a single unit,
made from strong and lightweight polymer/plastic. The upper receiver was of stamped steel; in addition, steel or light alloy
reinforcement was used for the operating parts as well as to provide reinforcement in some areas of the lower receiver. The sliding
stock was even more streamlined than that of the HK-54A1, and when completely collapsed, it was almost completely flush with the
receiver and barely visible.
The stock could also be completely removed.
The 30-round magazine, modified from the standard MP-5
design, was a bit more curved than that of the standard MP-5 magazine to improve feed characteristics when loaded with unusual
ammunition types; it was also made from the same lightweight polymer/plastic as the SMG I’s lower receiver.
(This magazine will not
fit into other MP-5-based designs, though the SMG I can also use standard MP-5 magazines.)
The SMG I was tested with the HK-
54A1’s 50-round drum as well as several variations on that theme, but the drum magazine idea was quickly rejected since the drum
did make the SMG I into a clumsy weapon.
Perhaps the most dramatic change in the SMG I was to the internal operating system.
The roller-locking delayed-blowback
operation of the MP-5 was totally replaced; the SMG I used simple blowback operation and fired from a closed bolt.
The blowback
operation was only slightly modified, using an integral safety lock that delayed the release of the firing pin for a few milliseconds; this
prevented most cook-offs from happening in the first place.
The simplified operation also allowed for a much wider choice of 9mm
Parabellum ammunition types, weights, and propellant charges.
The SMG I was designed and presented to the US military with the
capability for only semiautomatic and automatic fire, though Heckler & Koch could easily have added in burst capability if desired.
The
SMG I also included a bolt hold-open device at the request of the JSSAP committee, with the release being a button above trigger
guard.
The selector group and magazine release were also ambidextrous.
The drum-type diopter rear sight was more complex than
those of the HK-54A1 (it was derived from the rear sight of the HK-21 machinegun), and included a feature allowing the shooter to
easily switch between standard and suppressed fire while keeping the same zero.
Both the front and rear sights could be raised in
height, making them easier to use when the shooter was wearing a protective mask.
Unusually, the SMG I was equipped with a
forward assist; though it could be used to fully seat the bolt in a dirty weapon (which is really not a good practice in the first place), it’s
primary use was to quietly close the bolt after loading and charging the SMG I.
The 5.63-inch barrel did not have the complicated barrel porting system of the HK-54A1, but the silencer designed for use with the
SMG I was far better than the typical removable silencer. The silencer was not only useable with both full-power and subsonic
ammunition, it could be used with a much wider variety of bullets and propellant charges (though not as large a selection as when the
SMG I was used without its silencer).
The silencer is secured by latches instead of threads, and can be quickly and easily removed
and mounted by the user.
A gas adjustment valve was included to allow for more efficient use of rounds with larger-then-normal
propellant loads as well as subsonic propellant loads. In addition, the bolt lock of the HK-54A1 was retained, further quieting the SMG
I if desired.
The silenced SMG I wasn’t as quiet as the HK-54A1 or MP-5SD, but it was still one of the quietest submachineguns ever
devised.
In the end, the Pentagon decided against the SMG I. This had nothing to do with the design of the SMG I – the troops were almost
completely satisfied with it. The JSSAP committee simply decided that while the SMG I was a great submachinegun, it just wasn’t
really a necessary acquisition at the time, given that the SMG I would be produced only in small batches – the SMG I would be an
expensive weapon due to the limited production alone, and the US defense budget was also experiencing a drawdown. The MP-5-
series weapons that US special operations units were already using were deemed adequate. Nonetheless, some 60 SMG I’s were
built, and they have largely been retained (stored in an operating condition) by the US military; in addition, the Pentagon elected to
retain complete copies of the specifications and associated engineering package – supposedly for possible future use, though as far
as is known, the SMG I has not seen the light of day since 1985.
Heckler & Koch, however, felt that they had a winner in the SMG I (and US special operations troops agreed), and that sales to
other countries were a real possibility.
Heckler & Koch tweaked the SMG I a bit more, combining some of the best features of the
SMG I and SMG II (see below) with those of the MP-5 series.
This led to the MP-2000. The MP-2000 was very similar to the SMG I
in appearance and operation, though a pair of slots are cut into both sides of the fore-end on either side of the barrel.
A pair of cooling
slots are cut on either side of the handguards.
The trigger guard was about twice the length of that on the SMG I; at the front of the
MP-2000’s trigger guard is a lever, which is the magazine release.
Below the handguard was a mount for a foregrip similar in shape
to that of the MP-5K; this foregrip was not only removable, but could be adjusted in position along the handguard and (to a limited
extent) adjusted for length.
The MP-2000 had charging handles on both sides of the receiver, further enhancing its ambidextrous
features.
The barrel was a bit longer at 5.87 inches.
The MP-2000 was reportedly tested in and out of combat by a number of special
operations units worldwide, but not officially adopted by anyone; it’s uncertain how many MP-2000s were actually built.
It is possible
that the MP-2000’s biggest marketing problem was that it was competing against its own father – the MP-5 series – and a new (and
more expensive, in real-life terms) version of the MP-5 series couldn’t compete against the already-existing versions of the MP-5
series and the greater availability of parts, weapons, and support.
In between the SMG I and the attempted marketing of the SMG II, Heckler & Koch designed the SMG II. Designed in 1984, the
SMG II is sort of a product-improved SMG I. The SMG II was designed for a still-unknown customer that liked the SMG I, but wanted
a few more changes to the design of the SMG I.
The customer for the SMG II is still undisclosed, but the SEALs are believed to have
at least tested the SMG II.
Most sources say that at least 60 examples of the SMG II were built, but as many as 200 may have been
made. The SMG II was, however, close to handmade; no special production line, machinery, or tools were set up at Heckler & Koch
for the SMG II.
The HK-21-derived sights used on the SMG I were exchanged for something in-between those of the SMG I and MP-2000 –
derived from those of the standard MP-5, they were smaller and less complicated, but had the ability to switch between settings for
full-power ammunition and subsonic ammunition.
The sights also had brighter tritium inlays.
A minor change was made to the trigger
group; the normal H&K selector lever position markings (designed to be easily-understood whether the shooter uses the Latin
alphabet or not – or even whether or not he can even read) were replaced by numerical markings instead.
The major change to the
trigger group was that a four-position selector was used, allowing for safe, semiautomatic, 3-round burst, and automatic fire; bolt-
locking was also retained from the SMG I, though it is done with a separate switch. The MP-2000-type cooling slots are mounted a bit
further forward on the SMG II.
The charging handle of the SMG I was replaced with a knob above the barrel, similar to that on the
Uzi. The folding stock design was further refined; the buttplate is even smaller than that of the SMG I, and when folded, is
indistinguishable from the rest of the receiver at first glance. Some internal changes to the SMG II also led to an ejection port
positioned a bit higher than that of the SMG I, and the rails of the sliding stock have a slight cutout on the right side so that the ejection
port is not blocked by the stock rails when the stock is folded. Atop the receiver are a pair of brackets for the mounting of various
optics or mounting devices. The hollow pistol grip has a hinged endcap, which can store various small items (usually batteries or a
small cleaning kit).
Twilight 2000 Notes: In the Twilight 2000 timeline, the MP-2000 was put into limited production starting in 1995; it was used by the
US Navy SEALs, US Army Special Forces, German Fernspah troops and the German GSG-9, among others.
The SMG I itself saw
far more limited production and use, primarily by US Navy SEALs; less than 200 were built in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
In the
Twilight 2000 timeline, the “unknown customer” for the SMG II turned out to be the ISA (Intelligence Support Activity), a little-known
composite CIA/military special operations unit.
As the Twilight War went on, spare parts for those SMG IIs got progressively more
difficult to get (despite the ISA having several alternate sources for parts), and their SMG IIs had largely fallen into disuse after 1999.
SMG I 9mm Parabellum 2.78 kg 10, 15, 30 $284
MP-2000 9mm Parabellum 3 kg 10, 15, 30 $373
SMG II 9mm Parabellum 2.81 kg 10, 15, 30 $374
SMG I/SMG II/MP-2000 Silencer N/A 0.82 kg N/A $105

SMG I 5 2 Nil 2/4 1 3 17
With Silencer 5 2 Nil 4/5 1 2 14
With Silencer, Subsonic 5 1 Nil 4/5 1 2 12
MP-2000 3/5 2 Nil 2/4 1 1/2 17
With Silencer, Subsonic 3/5 1 Nil 4/5 1 1/2 12
SMG II 3/5 2 Nil 2/4 1 2/3 17
With Silencer, Subsonic 3/5 1 Nil 4/5 1 1/2 12

Hill H-15
Appears in: Experiments conducted in the 1960s.
Notes: John L. Hill began thinking about the H-15 design in 1948; however, it wasn’t until the early 1960’s when, caught in a
snowstorm in Denver in a machine shop with nowhere to go and nothing to do that the first H-15 was made.
It is a shot-barreled
submachinegun designed to be used in one hand or fired two-handed like a large pistol, though a folding wire stock may also be
attached to the weapon. The most striking aspect of the H-15 is the magazine; it is a large clear plastic box that sits atop the weapon
with the rounds contained sideways within it, in exactly the same manner that the FN P-90 PDW would use some 30 years later!
It is
sort of a “semi-bullpup” design, with the magazine behind and above the pistol grip, and with a barrel which, though short, is longer
than one might expect from looking at the weapon. The experimental weapons he produced had no manual safeties of any sort,
though there were some automatic safeties. Unfortunately, the rather draconian gun regulations present in the US at the time
prevented Mr. Hill from making many fully-automatic versions of the H-15, and he could not interest any police or military agencies in
the rather novel weapon. He was basically ahead of his time. Perhaps 90-100 of these weapons were built, mostly semiautomatic,
and only 10 or 11 examples remain in existence today. (The status of Frankford Arsenal’s H-15 is unknown at this time.)
Most of
these were made to fire 9mm Parabellum, but some .380 ACP versions were also built. The H-15 remains a great example of how
ingenious a private arms manufacturer can be.
H-15 9mm Parabellum 2.27 kg 35 $303
H-15 .380 ACP 1.81 kg 35 $287

H-15 (9mm) 5 2 Nil 2/3 1 3 21
H-15 (.380) 5 2 Nil 2/3 2 4 20

Howlett JE-1 SMG
Appears in: Tests for new submachinegun to use the .30 Carbine round conducted in the mid-1940s.
Notes: The JE-1 (with “JE” standing for “Japeradicator”) was a submachinegun designed by a worker at Douglas Aircraft named
C.C. Howlett.
While his weapon would now be regarded more as a PDW (Personal Defense Weapon), at the time of its inception it
was meant to be a small stockless submachinegun to use the then-new .30 Carbine cartridge, which the US Army hoped would be a
round which was lighter and more effective than the .45 ACP when fired from longer-barreled weapons. The JE-1 was a selective fire
weapon based on short blowback operation, with a barrel that recoiled slightly much like that of a pistol, but not as far.
The upper
receiver of the weapon was fashioned largely of stamped steel, with a lower receiver of aircraft aluminum. And a wooden pistol grip
and fore-end/heat shield. A simple thumb lever controlled the operation of the weapon, and the barrel was a short 12-inches, finned
on the rear third of the barrel for cooling.
As stated before, the barrel had a lower wooden foregrip/heat shield, with a steel, ventilated
shield on top of the barrel; the barrel protruded only a fraction of an inch from this affair.
External steel parts were blued, the
aluminum was left in natural metal, and the wood laminated. No tools were required for stripping. The weapon was designed to be
used with two hands, but could be fired with one hand.
For a prototype, the JE-1 was exceptionally well-made, but it was a bit on the
heavy side.
Unfortunately, though the Army took a long, hard look at the JE-1, and even extensively tested it, they requested several changes –
something Mr. Howlett had little money to do. It was later determined that the JE-1 offered no significant advantages over the M-1
Carbine, and furthermore could not have a grenade launcher or bayonet mounted.
Though the OSS was reportedly quite interested in
the JE-1, the Army dropped interest in the weapon, and the end of World War 2 effectively killed the JE-1 completely.
Howlett JE-1 .30 Carbine 2.72 kg 15, 30

Howlett JE-1 5 2 1-Nil 2 1 3 21

Colt IMP/Bushmaster Rifle/Submachinegun
Appears in: A request by the US Air Force in an attempt to produce better armament for downed pilots.
Notes:
This weapon was originally designed by the Frankfort Arsenal for use by downed aircrews. The idea was to give them the
equivalent of an assault rifle in a package small enough to be put in their survival kits. To this end, they developed what they first
called the “Arm Gun” (called that because the proper firing position was to hold the bullpup stock against the bicep of the firing arm
with the off hand; the original name was the IMP, for Individual Multi-Purpose, so-called because it was originally envisioned for a
wider role).
They first experimented with a new cartridge, the .17 caliber Frankfort Arsenal round; this did not give the proper punch,
so they switched to .221 Fireball (approximately the same ballistics as the 5.56mm NATO, but lighter).
The military then asked for a
switch to the standard 5.56mm NATO round.
The entire program was then scrapped, because the Air Force simply couldn’t figure out
how to fit it in the tiny survival packs of fighter pilots.
The three prototypes were all that were built.
They are presented here as an
interesting “what-if.”
While the Bushmaster Arm Gun was unsuccessful, Bushmaster later sold the weapon as a sort of large pistol, and sales of this
weapon took off.
The barrel is slightly longer, the weapon is lighter, and the Bushmaster Pistol is designed to be semiautomatic-only,
but it is otherwise the same as the 5.56mm NATO version of the Bushmaster Arms Gun.
This weapon was one of the first targets of
the Brady Gun Ban, and it is unknown whether Bushmaster plans to pick up production again in the future.
Twilight 2000 Notes: CivGov acquired Frankfort Arsenal during the confusion in the US after the November Nuclear Strikes. They
took the plans for the Bushmaster and began manufacturing them in 5.56mm NATO for issue to levied militia, particularly horse-
mounted troops, vehicle crews, and teenagers. They built approximately 4000 of them.
IMP .17 Frankfort Arsenal 2.1 kg 20, 30 $543
IMP .221 Fireball 2.68 kg 20, 30 $837
IMP 5.56mm NATO 2.8 kg 20, 30 $863
Bushmaster Pistol 5.56mm NATO 2.38 kg 10, 20, 30 $850

IMP (.17) 5 2 1-Nil 3 2 4 12
IMP (.221) 5 2 1-Nil 3 2 5 14
IMP (5.56mm) 5 2 1-Nil 3 3 6 13
Bushmaster Pistol SA 2 1-Nil 3 3 Nil 14

Ingram Lightning M-5
Appears in: Literature of the Lightning Arms Corporation of Post-World War 2.
Notes: The Model 5 was one of Gordon B Ingram’s first submachinegun designs (Ingram would later become famous for the
invention of the M-10 and M-11 submachineguns).
Though the Lightning Arms Corporation fully intended to mass-produce the Model
5, and in fact had what they thought was a firm order from Nicaragua in 1946, ultimately only one prototype was produced.
Though somewhat superficially resembling the Thompson M-2 submachinegun from the outside, internally the M-5 is a quite
different weapon; it is not nearly as complicated a weapon as the Thompson (nor would its real-life price been anywhere as
expensive), built primarily from steel stampings and having an internal firing mechanism with only 3 moving parts. The furniture was of
simple hardwood, and the weight of the M-5 was far less than that of the Thompson. The M-5 also employed a fairly efficient (and
advanced, for its time) buffer system which reduced felt recoil despite the lack of any sort of muzzle device.
(In fact, Lightning’s
representatives in Nicaragua demonstrated the simplicity and low recoil of the M-5 by having the daughter of a high-ranking political
figure fire the weapon on full automatic, which she did quite well!)
Perhaps one of the smallest submachineguns of its time, the M-5
was a mere 25 inches long, yet had a 10-inch barrel, with the barrel being covered by a ventilated barrel shroud. Feed was from
Reising-type magazines, though Lightning advertised (but never made) a 25-round magazine. The prototype had no provision for
semiautomatic fire, though production examples were to have selective-fire capability.
Ultimately, it appears that the M-5 was a victim of the post-World War 2 – as happens after any large war, the world suddenly gets
flooded with large amounts of cheap surplus firearms, and Nicaragua found its firearms elsewhere instead of buying the M-5.
Lightning M-5 .45 ACP 2.72 kg 12, 20, 25 $342

Lightning 5 2 Nil 4 2 5 31

Ingram M-7/M-8/M-9
Appears in: Various Ingram designs of the early 1950s.
Notes: Though the Ingram M-6 enjoyed moderate success in 9mm Parabellum, Gordon always preferred the .38 Super cartridge,
believing it to be superior 9mm Parabellum and approaching the .45 ACP’s power without having quite the recoil of that cartridge. He
therefore developed an improved version of the M-6, chambered exclusively for the .38 Super cartridge; this submachinegun was
known as the M-7.
The M-7 was similar in configuration to the M-6, but had a number of differences internal and external that made it
a new gun.
The M-7 fired from a closed instead of an open bolt, and had a receiver made from an aluminum alloy, which was quite
unusual at the time.
(Internally, there were steel strengthening spars.)
The M-7 had a slightly higher cyclic rate than the M-6, even in
the M-6’s rare .38 Super version (though not high enough to count for game purposes).
The barrel was heavy and finned for cooling
and to stiffen the barrel; underneath the barrel was a wooden foregrip, and the stock and pistol grip were made from a single piece of
wood. Unfortunately, POC found no buyers for Ingram’s creation, and only one prototype M-7 was ever built.
Ingram then slightly modified and improved the M-7, producing the M-8.
The M-8 was again chambered for 9mm Parabellum as
well as .45 ACP, and the entire weapon was far easier to field-strip and resistant to dirt.
The charging handle slot had a dust cover
added, and the safety would work whether the bolt was forward or back.
By this time (1955), Ingram had left POC, and could not find
another US manufacturer to make the M-8. For a while, it looked like Thailand’s state arms manufacturer was willing to produce the
M-8 for both Thai and export purposes, but this deal fell through.
Again, only one prototype was built.
Ingram returned to the US, where he modified the M-8 to use the sliding stock of the M-3 submachinegun, calling it the M-9. Again,
Ingram was not able to attract any manufacturers, and again only one prototype was built.
M-7 .38 Super 3.38 kg 30 $328
M-8 .38 Super 3.38 kg 30 $338
M-8 .45 ACP 3.79 kg 30 $452
M-9 .38 Super 3.2 kg 30 $353
M-9 .45 ACP 3.59 kg 30 $477

M-7 5 2 1-Nil 5 1 3 26
M-8 (9mm) 5 2 Nil 5 1 3 24
M-8 (.38) 5 2 1-Nil 5 1 3 26
M-8 (.45) 5 2 Nil 5 2 5 28
M-9 (9mm) 5 2 Nil 3/5 1 3 24
M-9 (.38) 5 2 1-Nil 3/5 1 3 26
M-9 (.45) 5 2 Nil 3/5 2 5 28

LAPA SM M-02
Appears in: A weapon designed to replace Brazilian submachineguns in the early 1980s.
Notes: This Brazilian-made SMG was designed as a companion weapon to the LAPA FA M-03 assault rifle. It is a modern design,
perhaps ahead of its time, with the entire body made of high-impact plastic with smooth surfaces. It is short, light, and easy to use.
However, Brazilian troops found it, like the FA M-03, a bit strange looking and the Army found training troops to use a radically
different sort of weapon costly. It was thus never adopted, and now is firmly in the prevue of exotic weapons collectors and museums.
Twilight 2000 Notes: An initial production batch of about 275 of these weapons was placed into the hands of Brazilian special
operations forces, who liked their resistance to dirt and damage. Factories could not be geared up quickly enough to produce this
weapon in large quantities, and after the November Nuclear Strikes, the materials to produce it were almost unobtainable. However,
the troops who did use the LAPA loved it, since it was virtually indestructible and idiot-proof.
Merc 2000 Notes: This is a Brazilian submachinegun that was adopted for a short time by Brazilian armed forces, and also had some
success with foreign sales.
SM M-02 9mm Parabellum 2.8 kg 20, 30, 32 $284

SM M-02 5 2 Nil 4 1 3 21

LEL-1
Appears in: Experiments began by DM (“Carbine” Williams in the 1930s and continued by LE Lisk in the early 1970s.
Weapon Type: Submachinegun
Notes: David
Marshall “Carbine” Williams (the nickname is from his greatest invention – the M-1 Carbine) began designing a .22
Long Rifle submachinegun soon after selling the M-1 Carbine to the US government.
The idea was to use the weapon as a testbed
for a weapon firing a larger caliber. The weapon, known as the Model 7, had a design which was jealously-guarded by Williams, as he
believed it was so innovative that it would be immediately stolen if its plans were known.
Unfortunately, Williams died in 1975 before
he was able to make a working prototype of the Model 7 – but not before writing a document giving Williams’ widow permission to
allow LE Lisk (and only LE Lisk) to copy or improve upon the design.
Lisk did improve upon the design, and the eventual prototype produced was called the LEL-1.
It is, essentially, a belt-fed rimfire
submachinegun.
Crude and rather lumpish in appearance, it looks like what it is – a first prototype – in software terms, an “alpha”
version.
The operation is very similar to that of the M-1919A4, firing from a closed bolt, pulling the belt in from the right side, and
ejecting brass from the bottom of the receiver. The charging sequence is unusual in that the bolt must be cycled twice before the
weapon is ready for operation. Unlike the M-1919A4, however, the barrel does not move during operation; instead, the LEL-1 has a
“floating chamber” which moves by itself instead of taking the barrel with it. The belts themselves are made from cloth, and since no
loading machine (Williams designed one, but neither Williams nor Lisk ever built it) was ever made for them, loading the belts is quite
a bear of a job that tends to put blisters on one’s fingers. There are no sights of any kind; they were to be designed and placed on
later models.
The LEL-1 has a sliding wire stock, but no sort of safety mechanism (again, this was to be added later).
Most of the
weapon is made from aluminum.
Like alpha software, the LEL-1 has a number of features which don’t actually work, but were meant
to be working in the final examples of the weapon.
The LEL-1 has a cocking knob, but it was left disconnected; instead, one must
open the top cover, pull the bolt back with a finger (like the M-3A1 Grease Gun), then do it again. The LEL-1 also has a knob-like
protrusion at the rear of the receiver.
In later examples, this would have adjusted the cyclic rate, but the actual feature is not present
in the LEL-1.
LE Lisk demonstrated the weapon to the US Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
The Army was not really as interested in the
weapon as they were to see how it works; however, Lisk would not permit an internal inspection of it, fearing the Army would steal the
design before any contracts were signed.
Lisk went as far as taking the LEL-1 with him to lunch, keeping his foot on it the entire time.
(This secrecy continues to this day.) The Army refused to even consider any sort of contracts before they made a full, disassembled
inspection of the LEL-1.
Thus there was a classic standoff, with the Army and Lisk parting ways rather quickly, and no one ever
manufacturing the LEL-1.
Lisk also never continued work on the design (as far as is known).
Lisk seems to have lost interest in
firearms design after the death of his wife in 2002. Thus the LEL-1 remains an interesting design seemingly with much unrealized
potential.
LEL-1 .22 Long Rifle 5.44 kg 100 Belt, 250 Belt, 1000 Belt $221

LEL-1 25 1 Nil 2/4 1 3 21

Len Savage Calico/MAC
Appears in: An experimental weapon made by Len Savage.
Notes: This “Frankenweapon” is the result of one of those “what the hell” moments of inspiration that often lead to something
strange and/or innovative.
The Calico/MAC is pretty much what it sounds like – a combination of the Calico M-900 pistol and the M-10
submachinegun in 9mm Parabellum.
Though the result does look primarily like a modified M-10 with a Calico magazine atop the
receiver, looking closely will reveal many other Calico elements. The M-10’s upper receiver is heavily modified to feed from the
Calico’s helical magazine, and internally a number of Calico parts are also used.
His original version used a fixed wooden stock, but
later he removed the wooden stock and replaced with a folding Calico stock.
In addition, the foregrip and protector of an MP-5K was
also used.
Behind that is a short MIL-STD-1913 rail.
The M-10’s bolt is essentially flipped upside down, and mated with elements of
the Calico, particularly the magazine “well” and feed chute.
The barrel is a mere 5.4 inches.
Though Mr. Savage hopes for sales to
the military and police, he is not necessarily optimistic in this regard, and the Calico/MAC may remain simply a “one-off.”
Calico/MAC 9mm Parabellum 4.35 kg 50 Helical $280

Calico/MAC 10 2 Nil 1/3 1 3 18

Morgan M-101C
Appears in: Special operations weapon experiment in the early 1970s.
Notes: Though I have placed this weapon in the submachinegun category, this is more because of the caliber than anything else;
the M-101C is actually more a carbine than a submachinegun, with several unusual features to boot.
Jim Morgan introduced the M-
101C in 1974 as a demonstrator in 1974 to the US military; almost all of the military officers and NCOs who tested it agreed that it was
an excellent design which would be extremely useful to the US military (the special ops troops of the time were especially interested in
it), but the shortsighted brass at the Pentagon thought of it as merely another submachinegun, and they decided that the US military
did not need any submachineguns. (Ironically, the M-101C was a demonstrator, and Morgan could easily have modified it for other
barrel lengths, chamberings, etc.)
Therefore, the testers were pissed, the Pentagon ignored it, and the M-101C died a sad, quiet
death, with Morgan going on to other projects.
The M-101C demonstrator was chambered for 9mm Parabellum and used a 16.4-inch barrel tipped with a conical flash hider. It
was astonishingly easy to field strip, breaking down into only 7 parts.
Armorer maintenance was not much more difficult.
The M-101C
was very resistant to the extremes of nature.
Despite its blowback operation, the M-101C used what was essentially a reciprocal
recoil mass movement (perhaps the first use of such a principal in a small arm) to greatly reduce recoil.
In addition, the M-101C had
essentially a straight-line configuration, which also reduced barrel climb (and was, incidentally, all the rage at the time). Morgan
himself admitted that the barrel was not made of steel which was of military specifications – it was, in fact, much stronger than military-
grade barrel steel.
(For one demonstration, Morgan plugged the barrel and fired live ammunition through it.
The inside of the barrel
was ruined, but that’s all that happened.
You wouldn’t want to try that with your average military small arm!)
The M-101C also had
innovative features to allow dozens of magazines to be fired without any significant barrel or chamber heating problems.
Morgan
designed a special coating to reduce the need for lubricants and cleaning (though he wasn’t dumb enough to think the M-101C didn’t
require lubricants or cleaning of any sort…)
In addition, Morgan
designed two other features which were ahead of the times.
One was a collimator-type sight with a slight
magnification and an illuminated red dot, designed specifically for quick aiming – something which is now in common use by military
forces worldwide.
The second is even more interesting – the TAR-1.
The TAR-1 (Tactical Assault Rocket) was a 127mm rocket-assisted explosive shell – essentially, a RAW-type weapon, but
predating the RAW by over a decade.
Like the RAW, the TAR-1 was fired from an adapter attached to the muzzle of the M-101C, and
actuated by a standard round being fired through the M-101C.
The adapter was reusable, and the rocket charge gave it a range
which was astounding when used in direct fire – and even more astounding in indirect fire.
Like the M-101C itself, the TAR-1 was a
demonstrator weapon – Morgan
had a plethora of ideas for variants of the TAR-1, though only an HE-Blast-type version was ever
actually made.
In my mind, the M-101C is another one of those “too bad” weapons – as in too bad it wasn’t further developed and adopted for the
US military.
The Pentagon really missed the boat on this one, primarily due to ignorance and prejudice against what they believed
was “just another submachinegun.”
M-101C 9mm Parabellum 3.36 kg 40 $510

M-101C 5 2 2-Nil 5 1 2 36

Weapon Ammunition Weight* Price*
TAR-1 127mm RAM Grenade 0.84/5 kg $120/200

Weapon ROF SS Damage Pen Range IFR
TAR-1 1/2 2 C24
B34 12C 250 3750
*Weight and price are for the adapter/grenade.

PLJ
Country of Origin: Unknown (Possibly Italy or the former Yugoslavia)
Appears In: Immediate post-World War 2, but probably existed
during World War 2.
Notes: The PLJ is a stockless submachinegun whose origin is a mystery.
Even the name of the weapon is a mystery; “PLJ” is
derived from some weapon markings that seem to indicate the designation of the weapon, but may not be. The PLJ is a rare weapon,
and was a rare weapon even immediately post-World War 2.
Specimens have recently turned up in Slovenia, but these are in bad
shape. The weapons appears that, even when new, construction quality was not the best; it may have been built as an ad hoc
weapon by resistance forces in whatever machine shops were available. One might even argue whether the PLJ is in fact a true
submachinegun or simply a large machine pistol.
The PLJ is largely made from a single iron casting, with some parts of the receiver
being zinc; steel appears to have been reserved for the working parts and the barrel. The grip is of checkered wood, and the entire
weapon appears to be crudely made.
The receiver is mostly made of an iron tube, with the end secured by a screw-on cap. The
7.87-inch barrel is tapered and has a post-type front sight with a large hood around it.
The rear sight is a simple notch.
The cocking
knock is large, and also functions as a safety, with the knob and lever moved into a position that locks the bolt.
The weapon is
selective fire, but in a strange way – normal pressure on the trigger gives automatic fire, but if the bottom of the trigger is pulled
instead of the middle of the trigger, semiautomatic fire will result.
The PLJ would be difficult to control on automatic fire, being light,
having no stock, and no foregrip. What magazines were used with the PLJ have been lost; I have used an estimate below.
Likewise,
examples existing today are not in firing condition and the cyclic rate is unknown, and I have used an estimate for this. Even the
intended ammunition is a bit of a mystery; the chamber seems to fit both the 9mm Parabellum round and the 9mm Glisenti round.
Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon is noteworthy in Twilight 2000 because it represents the kind of weapon that might be made in
various machine shops in the aftermath of the Twilight War.
PLJ 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Glisenti 2.2 kg 25, 30, 32 $252

PLJ (9mm 5 2 Nil 2 1 5 20
Parabellum)
PLJ (9mm 5 2 Nil 2 1 5 20
Glisenti)

Policarpa 22-2
Country of Origin: International
Appears in: Built by different companies on and off for several decades, never in large numbers.
Notes: The origins of the Policarpa 22-2 are not entirely certain; a similar weapon was possibly invented in Austria by Heinrich Von
Wimmersperg in 1925, but he may have based his work on the design of one or more other people.
Von Wimmersperg’s design
seems to have sort of disappeared, but a similar weapon again cropped up in the late 1960s in the US, where the Venus Corporation
of Michigan has acquired the rights for manufacture.
It appears that only a few prototypes were built by Venus, but for a short time, it
was manufactured in small numbers by a Columbian company named Policarpa. Just to make things stranger, it appears that the US
government bought a few of these weapons for covert operations, and it is possible that Mitch WerBell devised a special T-shaped
suppressor for the Policarpa 22-2.
Rumors of its use in US covert operations persist here and there, but it is known that Policarpa
never sold many, and today the Policarpa 22-2 is essentially a curiosity item owned primarily by a few lucky collectors.
A little large to be a machine pistol and a little small to be a submachinegun (it’s almost a foot long, but the barrels are just a little
over 4 inches each), the Policarpa 22-2 is a twin-barreled .22 Long-Rifle-firing automatic weapon able to fire most .22 Long Rifle
rounds on the market today and at the time of its inception.
(The US government is believed to have used the Policarpa with subsonic
ammunition.) It is fed by what are essentially a pair of 22-round magazines joined together, each side of the magazine feeding one
barrel. The Policarpa is well-balanced enough for one-handed use, and it does not have any sort of shoulder stock. Construction is
largely of cast or machined steel, with a hollow grip that is meant to contain a small cleaning kit.
There are ejection ports on either
side of the receiver.
Semiautomatic fire occurs in an alternating manner from both barrels (first the left barrel, then the right),
automatic fire is basically the same, except for the automatic fire. The trigger is two stage, with a short pull firing the Policarpa on
semiautomatic, and a long pull firing it on fully automatic.
A safety lever is located on the right side of the receiver, and simply allows
the Policarpa to fire or be safed.
The magazine release is located just above the magazine well.
It is not possible to fire the Policarpa
with only one side of the magazine loaded or though only one barrel; it’s both or nothing.
The mechanism, with its extending and
retracting firing pins, makes runaway fire almost impossible and allows for clearing a jam much quicker and easier.
In the end, the Policarpa sold poorly, probably due to the low-power ammunition it fires and the limited range of applications.
Though there have been persistent rumors of its use throughout the years here and there, particularly by the US, it is has never been
confirmed that that any major government, army, or police force has used the Policarpa 22-2, and it is unknown how many were
actually built and sold.
Policarpa 22-2 .22 Long Rifle 1.3 kg 44 $216
(With Silencer) .22 Long Rifle 1.6 kg 44 $246

Policarpa 22-2 20 1 Nil 1 1 10 14
(With Silencer) 20 1 Nil 2 1 9 11

S&S SS-1 Sidewinder
Appears in: Literature of the 1980s.
Notes: The origins of this weapon are interesting.
Delta was looking for weapons that would help them during Operation Eagle
Claw, the abortive rescue of the hostages from the Iranian Embassy in 1980.
One thing that Delta was looking for was a weapon that
their operators could fire while roping down from helicopters (fast roping had not yet been developed). Two weapon designers, Sid
McQueen and Donald Packingham, had been developing just such a weapon for some time, but the design proceeded slowly,
primarily due lack of government interest – until the preparation for Eagle Claw began.
Suddenly, Delta was very interested in the
Sidewinder.
By 1980, S&S had four advanced Sidewinder prototypes (EX-002 in 9mm Parabellum, and EX-004 in 45 ACP). All were designed
to be fired with one hand or two, were bullpup designs, and extremely well-balanced.
The receiver and magazine could be rotated
180 degrees, without taking apart the weapon – one simply depressed a lever on the pistol grip while holding it vertically. (A later
version, the EX-020 does not have this feature, for reasons which will become apparent in a moment.)
This allowed it to be used by
both right and left-handed shooters with equal ease, and could also allow shooters to shoot around left or right-hand corners quite
easily. Construction was largely of a simple steel tube, with a steel barrel.
The top of the receiver had a mount for a variety of
collimator, laser aiming, or night vision sights. Fire selection was done by trigger depression – a short pull gave semiautomatic fire,
while a full trigger pull gave automatic fire.
The stock was simply a padded crescent-shaped steel piece – this was at the end of the
main tube on EX-002 and EX-004, while on EX-003 and EX-020, a sliding stock and a shortened main tube were used.
Caliber
conversion was quite easy, consisting merely of changing the barrel, reversing the bolt, and changing the magazine.
The magazine
well had a projection which could be used as a speedloader for the magazines; the magazines used were Sten magazines for the
9mm Parabellum chambering, and M-3 Grease Gun magazines for the .45 ACP chambering.
All but the EX-020 prototype were fed
from the side of the receiver; EX-020 used traditional feed (from the underside of the receiver).
The trigger guard swings downwards
for use with heavy gloves.
Fire controls are ambidextrous, as is the magazine release.
A peculiarity of all Sidewinders is the cocking knob.
It is located at the center of the rear portion of the rear of the main tube, offset
to one side. On all but the EX-020, the cocking knob reciprocates with the mechanism – which could lead to the knob hitting the
shooter in the face if fired from the shoulder.
As a result, S&S recommended that those versions should have the receiver rotated to
the left if the shooter is right-handed and to the right if the shooter is left-handed. (The ejection port is far enough forward was to not
present a problem in this regard.
The EX-020 prototype has a non-reciprocating knob and therefore this is not a problem.
Though it is all very hush-hush, and to this day nothing official has come out, it is believed that Delta took two Sidewinders to Eagle
Claw – the EX-003 prototype (an EX-002 with a caliber conversion capability, a Weaver sight base with backup iron sights, an extra
fire selection setting (3-round burst), and a sliding stock); and the EX-005 prototype (an EX-004 with similar modifications except for
the 3-round burst selector). Delta’s evaluations of the Sidewinder are still classified, but they apparently did not accept it for use after
Eagle Claw. The EX-005 prototype in .45 ACP is identical to the EX-020 for game purposes; the EX-005 prototype in 9mm
Parabellum is identical to the EX-020 prototype in 9mm except for the magazine it uses.
The final variation of the Sidewinder, the EX-020 prototype, did not appear until after Eagle Claw. Most of the differences are noted
above, but it also had something the other prototypes did not have – a manual safety. The EX-020 also is much easier to field-strip
and for armorers to work on, and in its 9mm iteration uses Uzi magazines instead of Sten magazines.
Unfortunately, no country’s military or police forces accepted the Sidewinder, and it became another footnote in history.
EX-002 Prototype 9mm Parabellum 2.04 kg 32 $282
EX-003 Prototype .45 ACP 2.24 kg 30 $665
EX-004 Prototype .45 ACP 2.15 kg 30 $449
EX-020 Prototype 9mm Parabellum 2.13 kg 20, 25, 32 $324
EX-005/020 Prototype .45 ACP 2.24 kg 30 $467

EX-002 10 2 Nil 3/4 2 8 22
EX-003 (9mm) 3/10 2 Nil 3/4 1 2/6 22
EX-003 (.45 ACP) 3/10 2 2-Nil 3/4 2 3/11 23
EX-004 10 2 2-Nil 3 2 12 23
EX-005/020 (9mm) 10 2 Nil 3/4 1 6 22
EX-005/020 (.45) 10 2 2-Nil 3/4 2 11 23

TSNIITOCHMASH Basksan
Country of Origin: Russia
Appears in: Pretty much nothing anymore, though there was a lot of buzz about the Baksan in the early 1990s.
Notes: The Baksan (called by many in the West the Busksun) is somewhat of an enigma; though the manufacturer insists they
have several prototypes of the weapon, and even that the Russian military and police has tested it as a PDW, only literature and
drawings (including CAD-based plans) have been seen in public, with no actual hardware having been produced for examination by
the public.
It is therefore understandable (at least to myself) why there have been no takers of the Baksan, and why the Russians say
they don’t even use it.
In fact, the attempted marketing of the Baksan appears to have stopped in 1995; no one has seen or heard
anything about the Baksan since that time, and it is uncertain whether it will ever appear again.
As far as can be told, the Baksan appears to be a Russian attempt at a PDW.
It is, according to the information that was released,
an extremely compact weapon, short-barreled weapon with a folding wire stock; its configuration, with the magazine in its pistol grip,
lends itself to firing as a large pistol as well as a conventional submachinegun/PDW.
Of course, the light weight, as with all such
weapons, does not really lend itself to accurate automatic fire, even with the stock extended.
The operation is by delayed blowback,
possibly making recoil even worse, though TSNIITOCHMASH hints at internal mechanisms to reduce the recoil.
In addition, the 8-
inch barrel is tipped with a rudimentary muzzle brake, though the design of this brake would seen to indicate that it would not only be
rather ineffective, but that it would produce a lot of muzzle blast as well.
The wire stock folds forward almost to the end of the muzzle
brake.
Construction is also a bit of a mystery, though it appears that the Baksan might have a light alloy lower, a steel upper, and a
polymer pistol grip and handguard. Sights appear to be simple fixed notch-and-blade. Feed is from a 20-round magazine (again,
composition unknown) which fits entirely within the pistol grip and has a slightly-extended floor plate to make the pistol grip flat-
bottomed. The trigger mechanism is also unknown, but appears to have a rather short pull length. There is an optional foregrip under
the handguard.
Of course, due to the relative dearth of information, there have been many guesses made, both by myself and analysts in general.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Limited use of the Baksan was made by the Russians in the Twilight War, primarily by airborne and air assault
command personnel and some vehicle drivers. Russian special ops apparently either didn’t like the Baksan or preferred heavier
weapons.
Many Russian troops found the firing signature caused by the muzzle blast to be quite a detriment at night, easily giving
away their position and spoiling their night vision (or even blinding them for a few precious seconds when wearing older night vision
goggles).
The 9mm Parabellum version does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Baksan 9mm Makarov or Makarov Hi-Impulse 1.8 kg 20 $327
Baksan 9mm Parabellum 1.81 kg 20 $329
Baksan 9mm Gurza 1.87 kg 20 $343

Baksan (9mm Makarov) 5 2 2-Nil 2/3 2 4 20
With Stock 5 2 2-Nil 2/3 1 3 23
Baksan (9mm Hi-Impulse) 5 2 1-1-Nil 2/3 2 5 24
With Stock 5 2 1-1-Nil 2/3 1 4 28
Baksan (9mm Parabellum) 5 2 2-Nil 2/3 2 4 21
With Stock 5 2 2-Nil 2/3 1 3 25
Baksan (9mm Gurza) 5 2 1-1-Nil 2/3 2 4 24
With Stock 5 2 1-1-Nil 2/3 1 3 29

Vesely V-42
Appears In: An experimental submachinegun designed for the British Army in World War 2.
Notes: Labeled a “Machine Carbine,” as the British called submachineguns at the time, the V-42 was one of three related weapons
designed to be lightweight, easy to produce (though it could not match later models of the Sten in that respect), and provide superior
firepower. The V-42 series was designed by an escapee from Czechoslovakia named Josef Vesely, who wanted to give back to his
country of refuge.
It was a typical submachinegun of the period, something we might call a carbine today due to its size. (The barrel
alone is 10 inches.) It was also much like the submachineguns of the period in that it used straight blowback operation.
The V-42
used a wooden stock, normally of beech and varnished; the V-41 appears to be a prototype of the V-42, and it’s construction is almost
identical to the V-42. The V-43 was designed for paratroopers; the stock is user-removable. In both cases, the weapons can take a
spike-type bayonet which fits over the barrel and forward barrel jacket. The selector lever is split into two mechanisms; the first
selected between semiautomatic and automatic, and the second put the weapon on safe.
The most unusual feature of the V-42 is its feed system and the associated magazines.
The magazines held 60 rounds in a double
stack configuration, but not a double stack as we think of one today. The rounds sat in the magazine in two columns (29 in the front
and 31 in the rear), one column in front of the other.
The feed mechanism holds the rear column of rounds depressed below the path
of the bolt until the front stack is empty.
At this point, a switch is used to allow rounds to feed from the rear stack. This allowed for
more ammunition, with less magazine changes, but it’s not like having a normal 60-round magazine.
V-42 9mm Parabellum 3.25 kg 29/31 (60) $298

V-42 10 2 1-Nil 4 1 5 26

W/99 Submachinegun
Notes: This weapon is not a real weapon; it appeared in an article in Challenge magazine, and I have added to the back story. It is,
however, illustrative of the type of weapons that would probably appear in the wake of World War 3.
Twilight 2000 Notes: Produced by the Wojchiechowiecz armaments factory in Krakow, the W/99 is almost an exact copy of the
Soviet W.W.II submachinegun the PPS-42/43.
The weapon is entirely stamped from steel except for the barrel and bolt, and spot-
welded together. The only non-metal parts are the wooden grips and a small piece of leather acting as a buffer for the bolt. The
perforated barrel jacket extends beyond the muzzle to act as a muzzle brake and compensator, a curved 35 round box magazine is
used; and the skeleton steel butt folds across the top of the gun body.
A simple safety catch is fitted in the front edge of the trigger
guard, and there is no provision for single shots.
Finish on the W/99 is non-existent, rough welds and grinding marks being apparent
all over the weapon.
Merc 2000 Notes: This weapon is not available in the Merc 2000 World.
W/99 7.62mm Tokarev 3.9 kg 35 $306

W/99 5 2 Nil 4/5 Nil 2 17

Twilight 2000 - Best Weapons That Never Were

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Twilight 2000 - Best Weapons That Never Were

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BEST WEAPONS THAT NEVER WERE

Best Assault Rifles That Never Were

Best Automatic Rifles That Never Were

Best Battle Rifles That Never Were

Best Grenade Launchers That Never Were

Best Handguns That Never Were

Best Machineguns That Never Were

Best Shotguns That Never Were

Best Sniper Rifles That Never Were

Best Sporting Rifles That Never Were

Best Submachineguns That Never Were

M-16EZ 5.56mm NATO 3.6 kg 10, 20, 30 $575

G-11 4.7mm Caseless 3.6 kg 50 $805

G-11K2 4.7mm Caseless 3.6 kg 45, 50 $805

G-11K2 3/5 3 1-1-Nil 5 2 3/5 48

Objective Individual Combat Weapon (XM-29 OICW)

Type 87 5.8mm Chinese 3.95 kg 30 $598

Type 87A 5.8mm Chinese 3.33 kg 30 $600

Type 87 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 6 53

Type 87A 5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 6 53

M-82 7.62mm Kalashnikov 3.3 kg 20, 30 $797

M-82 5.56mm NATO 3.3 kg 20, 30 $549

SG C-42 5.6mm NSK 4.18 kg 20, 25, 30 $1306

MP C-41 5.6mm NSK 3.96 kg 20, 25, 30 $1113

SG E-22 6.45mm NSK 4.12 kg 20, 25, 30 $1540

MP E-21 6.45mm NSK 3.91 kg 20, 25, 30 $1346

SG C-42 3/5 3 1-Nil 5/6 2 3/6 59

Bipod 3/5 3 1-Nil 5/6 1 2/3 77

MP C-41 3/5 3 1-Nil 4/5 2 3/5 35

Bipod 3/5 3 1-Nil 4/5 1 2/3 45

SG E-22 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 2 4/6 77

Bipod 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 5/7 1 2/3 100

MP E-21 3/5 3 1-2-Nil 4/6 2 4/6 45

Country of Origin: United States

Weapon Ammunition Weight Magazine Price

3-Barrel 40mm 40-46mm Low-Velocity 2.04 kg 3 Internal $456

Weapon ROF Round SS Burst Range IFR

3-Barrel 40mm SA APERS 2 Nil 43 Nil

SA CHEM 2 Nil 85 357

SA Ferret 2 Nil 85 357

SA Flash-Bang 2 Nil 85 357

SA Flechette 2 Nil 77 Nil

SA HEAT 2 Nil 85 357

SA HEDP 2 Nil 85 357

SA HE Airburst 2 Nil 85 357

SA ILLUM 2 Nil 85 357

Alliant Techsystems XM-25 Airburst Assault Weapon

Country of Origin: United States

Appears In: Current US weapons development programs

Weapon Ammunition Weight Magazine Price

XM-25 25x40mm Low-Velocity 6.35 kg 8 $3410

Weapon ROF Round SS Burst Range IFR

XM-25 SA HEAB 1 Nil 124 496

SA AP 1 Nil 124 496

SA Thermobaric 1 Nil 124 496

SA Flechette 1 Nil 50 Nil

SA CS 1 Nil 124 496

XM-25 Grenade Launcher Ammunition

Round Round Weight Round Price Damage Penetration

HEAB (Point Detonation) C2 B14 Nil

AP 0.17 kg $18 C0 B2 23/17/12/6

Thermobaric (Airburst) 0.14 kg $24 C5 B5 9C

Thermobaric (Point Detonation) C8 B5 9C